Dream a New Dream
by ElijahsElena
Summary: When figure skater, Elena Gilbert, had her human life stripped away, she found herself forced to survive her father's lab, then something worse, until she found herself wanting to give up. Until something happened, and maybe, a certain Original can help her find a new dream to dream.
1. Chapter 1

Elena Gilbert sat at a picnic table outside, her earbuds in her ears, studying a notebook on the table in front of her. The faint breeze stirred her dark hair and she hooked a lock of it behind her ear to keep it out of her face.

Around her, students greeted each other, excited after a summer apart, but she focused on the skate diagrams and listened to the latest bit of music from her coach, while she waited for her friends to show up. Damn, but her coach really wanted her live up to her nickname, 'The Cobra,' a title given to her because of her hypnotic grace coupled with powerful leaps.

About fifteen feet away, Matt Donovan and Tyler Lockwood threw a baseball back and forth, as hard as they could, the sound of the ball striking their skin echoing sharply against the bricks.

"What are you working on?" Caroline Forbes asked as she sat across from Elena.

Elena looked up from her notebook and pulled out her earbud, a lock of dark hair coming loose as she did so, "What?"

"You can't have homework already, it's just the first day of school!" Caroline laughed.

The ball bounced off a tree as one of the boys missed, taking off bark as it ricocheted, and hit the ground not far from where the girls sat.

"Watch it, Tyler!" Caroline glowered at them.

"Sorry!" Tyler called, but his attitude suggested he was anything but.

Elena's lips thinned at the boys, then turned her attention back to her friend and replied, "I haven't placed lower than third in Nationals in four years. I'm not going to let myself slip now. With the Winter Olympics next year, I've got to remain on the top of my game or my coach is going to kill me." Elena tapped her pencil against the page and chewed on her lower lip.

"Oh, my god." Caroline leaned forward, her eyes excited with whatever gossip she knew. "Have you seen-"

Suddenly, the baseball slammed into Elena's temple and she hit the ground, unconscious, blood dripping from her nose.

"Elena?!" Caroline screamed as she ran around the table to kneel beside her friend.

Fumbling for her phone, she dialed 911.

Elena blinked slowly, her brows furrowing as she focused on her surroundings. A hospital bed? What was she doing here? When she turned her head the oxygen hose tugged on her ears and she reached up, touching her face in surprise.

 _What was she doing here?_ She wondered as she fumbled for the remote on the side of the bed to summon help.

A few moments later, Dr. Fell walked through the door.

"What happened?" Elena mumbled, still confused.

"You got hit pretty hard on the head courtesy of a baseball," Dr. Fell replied as she read over the check sheet in her hand. "But you should be able to go home soon, just as soon as your father clears you for sure. You really scared him."

"It'd better be soon because I've got practice this evening."

"Not anymore."

"I feel fine though," Elena objected.

"Head injuries are nothing to mess with, Elena. You're an athlete, so you know this." Dr. Fell looked at Elena, her dark eyes serious. "Take it easy for the next few days and you'll be back on the ice before you know it."

"Ah, she's awake," Grayson said as he stepped into the room. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"Annoyed. I wanna go to practice." She needed to be on the ice. How was she expected to compete if she didn't put in the time?

"I talked to your coach and she and I both agree that you should take three days off to make sure there's no lasting damage."

"Three days? Are you serious?" Elena sat up, fighting with the oxygen hose as she moved. "Dad! Competition season is coming up!"

"Elena. That's enough."

Elena lay back and stared at the ceiling, her mouth pulled into a frown.

"Elena, get that look off your face. Your health is more important than you being perfect, okay?"

"Fine," she said with a resigned sigh. "So, when can I go home?"

"As soon as your mother gets here."

"Good. I hate hospitals." Picking at the oxygen hose on her face, Elena asked, "Could you at least get this off me?"

"Sure."

Dr. Fell turned the machine off before helping Elena extract herself from it.

Grayson's phone dinged and he pulled it out and read the message, then said, "Your mother is on her way. She wants you to know that she's bringing you a fresh change of clothes."

"Tell her thanks."

Both doctors left the room and Elena lay there staring at the curtained off window, frustration roiling through her. Skating meant the world to her. It was the only time she didn't have to repress what she felt, when she didn't have to pretend. When she performed, her emotions were encouraged, celebrated even. There was no pressure about being a member of a 'Founding Family,' and putting up a front. Out there, it was just her, the ice, and the music.

Someone knocked on the door and then it opened, revealing Miranda Gilbert, with a bag in her hand.

"Hey, honey."

"Hi, Mom." Elena sat up, brushing her hair behind her ear as she moved.

"Here are your clothes." She held out a pile of folded fabric. "Do you need any help?"

"Nope." Elena took the clothes and hopped off the bed.

As the bathroom door closed behind her, Miranda said, "I thought we might go to Charlottesville."

"Sure," Elena agreed, less than thrilled.

"Elena, I know you're upset about not being able to go to practice, but you'll be back in fighting shape sooner if you don't push yourself now."

"Yeah, I know. I'll get over it." Elena pulled her shirt over her head and freed her hair from her collar. "It's just, I feel fine. I wish I could at least just skate around, to keep limber and all that. Dad'll never have to know."

"Doctors orders, Elena." Miranda laughed.

Tossing her hair up into a tight ponytail, she opened the bathroom door and threw her hospital gown onto the bed. Grabbing her shoes and socks, she sat down and put them on.

"Ready?" Miranda asked.

"Let's get out of here."

They walked out of the hospital, towards the SUV.

"So what's the plan exactly?"

"I was thinking about picking up Jenna from campus and doing some shopping."

"Sounds good."

They climbed into the SUV and pulled out of the parking lot.

Elena pulled out her cellphone and texted Caroline.

 _I'm fine. Just need to take it easy for the next few days._

Caroline replied a few seconds later.

 _Good. I was so worried. OMG! A hot guy just started school here. I'll tell you about him when I find out more. ttyl_

"Earlier today Mrs. Lockwood asked me if you were going to sign up for the Miss Mystic Falls pageant, because the deadline to sign up is this weekend."

"Seriously?" Elena looked up from her phone, surprise written across her face. "If I make it to the Olympics, I'm not gonna have time for anything else. Just going to school will be hard enough between practice and everything."

"That's what I told her." Miranda laughed and shook her head in fond exasperation. "I suppose to her, becoming Miss Mystic Falls is the epitome of achievement. I don't think she's used to teenage girls having lives that don't revolve around this little town."

Miranda flicked the blinker and made a turn.

"Is Jenna ready?" Elena brought her knee up to her chin and looked over at her mother.

"She should be. I texted her before I signed you out."

When they arrived on campus, Elena looked around.

She knew her parents hoped she might attend here after she graduated, but something about it twisted her stomach. No matter how many times she came here, this place always felt wrong. A full shudder passed down her spine when they passed Whitmore House and she clenched her fists to her sides with her elbows as a sense of dread settled between her shoulder blades.

"Elena? Are you okay?" Miranda asked, worried. "Do you want to go home?"

"I'm fine." How could she explain this to anyone this sense of dread clawing at the back of her mind?

They arrived in front of Jenna's dorm to find her waiting for them. She waved when she saw them and walked quickly over to them.

Jenna climbed into the back seat and buckled herself in.

"How'd you manage to get them to let you out of school?" Jenna teased. "Jeremy's gotta be jealous as all get out."

"Unfortunately, skipping school means skipping practice too."

"You and your skating. You'll never get a date if you focus on that too much."

"Or I could date a fellow skater, eventually." Elena folded down her sun visor and examined the side of her head in the mirror.

"Aren't they all gay?"

"Wow, Aunt Jenna, way to stereotype." Elena looked back at Jenna through the mirror.

"Yeah, that was bad." Jenna leaned back in her seat.

"There's absolutely no bruise whatsoever," Elena muttered as she poked at her temple. "It doesn't even hurt."

"That doesn't mean there's no injury, Elena," Miranda sighed.

"I know, I know."

As they put the bags into the back of the SUV, Elena's stomach started growling.

"Can we get something to eat?" Elena asked. "I'm starving!"

"I second that," Jenna said.

Miranda considered for a moment before nodding. "Okay. Dinner before we head home."

"There." Elena pointed to a restaurant across the street that featured a grill. "That should have a menu my coach won't yell at me for eating off of on a non-cheat day."

With that, the three ladies made their way over to it and the hostess greeted them at the door.

"Table for three?" she asked with a bright smile

"Please," Miranda said.

"Follow me." The hostess picked up three menus and led the way over to a table near the front window. "Your server will be right with you."

The three ladies sat down and opened their menus, looking over their options.

A curvy redheaded girl approached them with a notepad in her hand. "Hello, my name is Jazzy and I'll be your server this evening. Can I get you something to drink?"

"I'll have a regular coke," Miranda replied as she read over the list.

"Diet Coke," Jenna said.

"Water with lemon," Elena added.

"Are you ladies ready to order your food? Or do you need a minute?"

"I think we still need a minute." Miranda smiled at her in dismissal.

"I'll get your drinks and be right back." Jazzy left then.

"I was thinking about possibly getting some new style of costumes for you this season," Miranda said once they were alone. "You're getting older and preparing for the Olympics. It's time to show people that you're growing up and ready to compete on that level."

"Oh, blue. Your first new costume needs to be royal blue," Jenna said, excited. "That color looks fantastic against your hair and eyes and just pops on the ice. And it needs to show a little cleavage. You've got a great chest and it's time to show it off."

"People with any sort of chest need to be more careful on the ice," Elena commented. "Without proper support it can throw off a performance, literally, so we'll have to make sure it's all fabric."

"And if it is all fabric, your dad won't have any reason to freak out, even though you looks like you're bare. Small town ideals sometimes need to be left off the ice."

"Blue does look especially good on you," Miranda agreed.

Their waitress brought back their drinks and set them down in front of the ladies.

"Are you ready to order?" Jazzy asked.

"Yes, I think we are," Miranda replied. "I'll have the steak sandwich, medium well, all the fixings, mashed potatoes and gravy, and steak fries."

"I want the chicken fried steak and mac and cheese, with steak fries." Jenna handed her the menu.

"Grilled chicken breast, steamed broccoli, and a small house salad with the raspberry vinaigrette on the side."

The waitress looked at Elena and raised an eyebrow, but wrote her order down.

When she left, Jenna asked. "What the hell's her problem?"

"I'm already slim and eating like that."

"Rude."

"It's happened so much, I just don't even worry about it anymore." Elena squeezed the lemon into her water. "People don't realize that skaters need to watch every calorie even during the off-season. Because there really is no off-season for people like us."

The waitress came back to see to a table not far from theirs, and Jenna got a conspiratorial look in her eye.

"So what is your plan for preparing for the Olympics?" Jenna asked a little louder than strictly necessary. "I mean, figure skating is highly competitive."

"Just do what my coach says." Elena laughed. "She hasn't led me wrong yet."

"You've placed in Nationals enough times. What do you think will happen if you take gold though?"

"I have to actually make it into the Olympics first, Aunt Jenna." Elena twirled her straw around in her water.

Jazzy stared at her, her eyes wide, before she headed back to the kitchen.

"Maybe that'll teach her to stop assuming things about people." Jenna gave the waitress one last dirty look, then grinned at Elena.

"That wasn't very nice."

"Yeah, well, for all we know, you'll be representing the U.S. at the Winter Olympics."

"We'll see." Most competitive skaters dreamed of that and she knew her competition this time around would be the fiercest she'd ever faced. But she couldn't stop herself from picturing herself on that podium, draped in an American flag with a gold metal in her hand.

It was well after dark when they finally arrived on campus to drop Jenna off.

"I had fun today," Jenna said as she unbuckled her seat belt. "We really need to do this more often."

"I don't get hurt enough for that to happen," Elena joked.

"Well then, I'll just have to enjoy it whenever we can get together." Jenna gathered up her bags and climbed out, closing the door behind her.

Elena rolled down her window and called, "Bye!"

Jenna waved in response and Elena waved back. Something about this moment felt so final, as if she needed to keep waving until Jenna opened the door and waved one last time before stepping inside.

After the door closed behind Jenna, Miranda put the car into reverse. Elena rolled the window back up as they headed towards the front entrance.

Once they got onto the main road, Miranda pressed down on the gas, picking up speed. Elena rested her head against the window, staring out ahead of her. The headlights caught on a deer grazing along the road and the startled animal leaped into the woods.

"I hope you're not too upset with having to miss practice," Miranda said, breaking the silence.

"It was nice spending time with Jenna. I don't get to see her as much as I'd like."

She gave all her time to the sport she loved and she was fortunate that her parents could afford to allow her to pursue her dreams. Unfortunately that meant she almost had no free time to spend with her family, but that was the price she paid to be a competitor on a national and international stage.

"I think I can convi-"

They came around a curve and a car rounded the bend at top speed, speeding directly towards them in their lane, a police car behind them, sirens blaring and lights flashing.

"Look out!" Elena screamed, but it was too late. The fleeing car slammed into them head on, sending glass flying and both vehicles spinning into the ditch.

When they came to a stop, Elena gasped, struggling for breath against the metal spearing her lungs and the blood rising in her throat. Blood poured from the cut across her forehead, blinding her, but she didn't have the strength to wipe her eyes.

Mom, where was she? She turned her head slowly, desperately trying to look around. She blinked hard and focused on where her mother was supposed to be. Tears trickled down her cheeks, mixing with the blood when she saw Miranda's head resting at an odd angle, her eyes blank.

"Mom." Her lips barely moved as her own life slipped away from her.


	2. Chapter 2

Elena jerked awake with a sharp inhale, as she stared around her. Why was she strapped to a table with an IV in her arm? Where was she? Was she in a hospital? Except this didn't look like any hospital she'd ever seen before, with its strange shadows and even stranger equipment. And what hospital would leave her in her bloodstained clothes?

If this wasn't a hospital, why did it have medical equipment? Was this in a lab? If so, why was she here?

Speaking of blood stains. She looked down at her chest as best she could, considering she was unable to move much, but found no injury, only torn cloth covering smooth skin. It was as if she'd never been hurt at all. What the hell? She clearly remembered a piece of metal sticking out of her chest. There was no way she could have healed so quickly!

As she moved her head, she realized something else. Her hair! It was gone, completely! Who the hell shaved her bald and then left her here like this?

Her mind flitted from thought to thought so quickly, she had difficultly keeping up with what to focus on.

Something tempting tickled her nose and her stomach felt hollow. She was hungry, oh so hungry and her jaw ached. Every muscle in her body tensed as if she was about to perform a triple Salchow. The scent grew stronger and she needed to sink her teeth into it. When had she ever been this hungry? Or was she thirsty?

In the next instant, she wondered since when did hospitals or labs have something she wanted to put into her mouth?

Her mind spun at one hundred miles a second in an effort to make sense of this situation. She'd never been so confused in her entire life. Then again, her world was usually very strictly ordered, with no room for something so strange as this.

What happened? The last thing she could remember was the car accident. Where was...?

"Mom!" she gasped.

She looked around wildly trying to catch a glimpse of something, anything that might tell her what happened to her mother. If _she_ could survive that metal spearing her chest, wasn't there a chance that her mother survived too? A wild hope bloomed in her chest, but she couldn't see Miranda anywhere or hear anything that might suggest she was around.

"Hello, Elena." Grayson walked around the corner with something in his hand, his face blank, but his eyes contained a strange sort of light that Elena had never seen before.

"Dad? Dad, where's Mom? What's wrong with me?" She'd never felt this panicked before and didn't know how to handle it.

"That's not your daughter, Gilbert." An unfamiliar blond haired man came up behind Grayson to stand next to him. He looked at Elena, his face twisted in revulsion. "Not anymore."

"Dr. Maxfield, kindly remember that you're here to help me save her, not decide if she is in fact still my daughter."

"Dad?" Elena breathed, unable to believe what she'd just heard. Did the accident mess her face up so much that they didn't recognize her? The way he looked at her, like he didn't know her anymore, it made her skin crawl and chills race down her spine.

"Your daughter died, Grayson! She died! She bled to death on the side of the road along with your wife! That thing is a monster who just happens to have her face!"

What sort of bizarro world had she woken up in? Since when did her father allow someone to talk about her like that? Hell, since when did he strap her down, shave her head, and think she wasn't his daughter?

What the hell? Was she dreaming? Please, let this be a horrible dream. This couldn't be real.

Wait. Could she feel pain? If there was no pain, she knew it was a horrible, dream.

She scraped her wrist on the metal holding her down and hissed softly against the sharp burn. Somehow, some way, this was real, terrifyingly, horrifyingly real.

"Elena is still in there, somewhere!" Grayson shouted, his cool facade finally cracking. "I'm not going to give up on her just because she's a vampire now!"

As a figure skater who'd performed on an international stage, she knew how to fake coolness even when she was terrified out of her mind, but this was nothing like she'd ever dealt with before. Her father had been the one to make her feel safe the person she relied on to protect her, but now, he was the one poised to cause her misery, so she found it impossible to get into that place in her head.

"That's right, Grayson, she's a vampire. Elena is a vampire! She died and this thing came back in her place!"

Vampire? She gasped for breath as her brain stopped computing anything. Sounds assaulted her ears and images flashed across her vision, but she just couldn't make sense of what was going on. Words no longer formed in her mind, only an overabundance of sensations.

If they continued speaking, she didn't know. Nothing made sense. Not time, not her body, nothing. She floated in this vacuum of numb darkness, unable to focus on anything, to grip onto anything, she had nothing, except this emptiness gripping her mind.

Something salty and metallic, yet somehow sweet passed her lips and her world tipped on its axis as euphoria gripped her entire being, forcing her out of the haze she'd been in. Everything sharpened, sounds became louder, but no longer hurt her ears, her eyesight sharpened, allowing her to see more clearly in the shadows. Then, her eye teeth extended into...fangs?

Almost immediately, extreme exhaustion overcame her and she felt herself sinking into a strange sort of lassitude that her mind and body wanted to reject, but she found herself unable to.

"You're shielding her just because she was your daughter and if the Council found out, it would jeopardize everything we're working for."

"Wes, first off, members of the Council are aware of what I'm attempting. And secondly, she was born human. That means her DNA still has human components. We just have to find a way to remove the vampire from it."

"You don't really think that you can just manipulate the vampire out of her genes?"

The other man's sarcastic disbelief made Elena want to claw his face off. But in the next instance, horror bled through the red haze. What the hell was that? She wasn't a violent person by nature so why did she have that impulse?

"Do you honestly think that you can just delete the monster from her blood and she'll be your daughter again?" Dr. Maxfield waved his hand towards her.

Was she a monster? She wanted, she wasn't sure what she wanted, except she didn't want to be a monster.

"Genetic deletion is the future of science. What better way to see if it works than to try it on a vampire?"

"She died, Gilbert. You don't come back from that."

"What did you do to me?" Elena whimpered. "Where's Mom?"

Grayson finally turned his attention to her and replied, "You already know. I saw your reaction when you heard us talking about vampires."

"Vampires aren't real." She tried to read his face, but her unusually sluggish brain made it impossible to know for certain what she expression she saw. "Dad?"

"Yes, they are. And you are one. It's why you drank human blood and liked it."

"You fed me human blood?" Elena shrieked, frightened.

She expected bile to rise in the back of her throat at hearing that, but none came. Instead, she craved more, needed more. She found herself looking around the room, that strange, violent part of her brain hoping to find more.

"You wanted it."

"No, I didn't." Elena glanced at him, her mouth tightening, then looked away from him. How could he have done this to her? He never even gave her a choice. He just shoved the blood down her throat and expected her to be fine with it.

"Don't deny it. Even now, you want me to give you more."

Elena couldn't refute him, so she said nothing, unsure what he wanted from her or how he expected her to react.

"Once you're closer to desiccation, I'll stop dosing you so much."

"What's desiccation?" That sounded ominous and she didn't want to know, but she needed to.

"I'm going to starve you because I need to keep you weak if I'm going to be able to help you."

"'Help me?'" Elena quoted, her voice cracking with the fear and her eyes burned with unshed tears. "Dad, please. Don't do this. Don't hurt me."

"I'm going to have to if I'm going to turn you back into a human." He placed his hand on her arm. "Then you'll be my daughter again."

Elena looked at his hand and then back at his face, searching for any hint of warmth. When she found none, she swallowed thickly. Where was the man who held her when she had nightmares? The man who helped her pick out her first pair of skates? Where was her father?

Whatever she'd believed, whatever she thought she'd known about the man she called father, she realized she hadn't known him at all. The man she thought her father was would never strap her to a table, would never talk about performing experiments on her, nor would he starve her. This man might wear her father's face, but he wasn't her father anymore.

She felt as though she was on the ice and landed a triple on her back with a skate deep in her leg, unable to breathe and horrified at the sharp turn her routine took. She needed someone to bandage her up and help her off the ice. But who could help her? Who would her father listen to?

"Where's Mom?"

"She died in the accident."

"Mom's dead?" Elena choked. "She really died?"

"Yes. She did."

"No, no, no! She can't be dead!"

Now she had no one to save her. The madness in Grayson's eyes proved that he was determined to see this through, no matter the cost to her.

"She died, Elena, just like you did. Though unlike her, you can still be saved." He sighed heavily. "We'll start working on you as soon as the funeral is over, but for now, sleep."

"The funeral? Mom's funeral?" Elena mumbled, struggling to think around the lethargy stealing through her mind. "You're not letting me go to Mom's funeral. You're gonna put her in the ground and I'll never see her again. Not letting me say goodbye."

"You're a monster now, Elena. She wouldn't want you there like this. She hated vampires almost as much a I do. But I know she'd want me to try to save you."

"You're lying." No. No, Mom wouldn't hate her. She couldn't. This wasn't her fault! How could her mother hate her for something she didn't ask for?

"As long as you're a vampire, you're not my daughter and I think she would agree with me."

Did her father really think she didn't exist anymore? Couldn't he see she was there when he looked in her eyes? If her father couldn't see she was still there, did he ever really know her? Or did he only know the person he thought she was, the person he wanted her to be?

"Let me say goodbye," She begged. "I need to go to her funeral. Please, Dad. Let me go."

"No. If I allow you to go to her funeral in this state, it would be dishonoring her memory and everything she stood for." Grayson pulled a syringe and a small bottle out of a nearby drawer, then proceeded to start filling the syringe.

"I need to go. Please." The thought of not being there when they put Miranda into the ground forever, of not being able to help her brother grieve, she couldn't bear it. "I need to be there, for Jeremy at least. Please. Don't make him go through this alone."

"Elena, your mother would have had no problem with me killing you, but I won't because I can't risk the possibility that a part of you still loves her." He inserted the needle into her arm and pushed the plunger down. "And to destroy something that cares about her, even a little bit, I can't do that."

"I'm still me!" Desperation clawed at her mind. How could she make him see that she still felt like herself, mostly? She still loved him, still loved her mother and her brother. She still loved to skate. Those were the most important things in her life before this, whatever it was, happened. And they were still important to her now. Didn't that make her still herself?

"No, you're not. Make no mistake, she would never have wanted to see you again if she had lived long enough to see you become this thing."

"'T's not my fault." She slurred, her consciousness finally fracturing under the strain of the vervain. "Didn' choose this."

Did she actually hear a man say, "Damn, Grayson, that's cold, even for you," or was it simply a figment of her imagination that someone, anyone cared even a little about what her father planned to do to her? She wasn't sure, because that dose finally proved too much and she passed out with a tear trickling from the corner of her eye.


	3. Chapter 3

Elena blinked against the exhaustion still attempting to claim her. She found herself still strapped to the table and the dried blood against her skin felt so uncomfortable. Daylight filtered through a window somewhere, letting her know that she spent more than a few hours in that drugged unconsciousness. Why had she woken up? It was then that she saw that the IV bag was now empty.

Was she alone? She thought she recalled hearing a voice the night she woke up here, so she turned her head, listening carefully. She could hear people outside and up. So she was in a basement. But where?

"What crawled up Dr. Maxfield's ass and died?" a boy asked. "Damn, but he's been a mood!"

"Especially today," his female companion commented. "All through his lecture, he was just scowling at everyone and the way he gripped that pen? Like, I thought for sure he was gonna stab someone!"

"I know!" another girl giggled.

Lecture? Was she on Whitmore College campus?

If so, maybe that fear she felt whenever she was here was a sixth sense warning her that this was where her life would come to an end.

"Oh, my god, have you heard?" a third girl asked. She'd been running if her breathing was anything to go by.

"What?" her friends asked simultaneously.

"Elena Giblert is missing! Apparently she was supposed to go to one of her friend's places the night her mom died and she never showed! Now no one knows where she is."

"Are you serious?"

"Her aunt Jenna is my roommate and Jenna was the last person to see her so she got questioned by the police."

That was the story they were telling, that she just vanished. Considering how well people in Mystic Falls thought of Dr. Gilbert, there was no way anyone there would suspect he was behind it. Her only consolation was that as well known as she was around the world, the pressure from outside would make things uncomfortable for them.

Elena forced herself away from that conversation and tried to listen somewhere closer. Please, let there be someone else down here. As much as she didn't wish this on someone else, to have someone with her, she wouldn't have to face this alone.

Wait, was that a heartbeat?

"Hello?" She called.

"It's about time you're awake," a man with an accent of some sort, replied. "It's been a while since I've had another vampire to talk to and you don't need to yell. I can hear you."

"How long was I out?" she asked a bit more quietly.

"About two days, I think."

Two days. They left her lying there on the table, in her blood covered clothes, unconscious for two days. They couldn't even be bothered to have someone clean her up or cover her. They just left her there. She blinked hard as the realization that she truly no longer mattered to the man she once called 'father' settled hard in her chest.

She drew a shuddering breath and sniffed.

"Hey, kid. You okay?"

"I'm fine," Elena replied, trying to put her mask back into place. She wished she could wipe her eyes, but with her arms strapped down, she couldn't. "What's your name?"

"I'm Lorenzo St. John. But you can call me Enzo."

"I'm Elena."

"I know."

Elena considered for a moment, trying to figure out what to talk about. Wait, if he was a vampire, maybe she could get the answers from him that her father seemed unwilling to give her. Maybe he could give her a better idea of how things really were.

"How did I become a-a-" She found herself unable to get the word out because that would make it all too real.

"A vampire?" Enzo finished.

"Yeah." So it wasn't a dream, it was a real life nightmare.

"You died with vampire blood in your system."

"How did I get that?"

"Vampire can heal most human ailments, and your dad has a bad habit of helping himself to my blood to give to patients of his that are gonna die." Enzo huffed in annoyance, then asked, "Did you get hurt recently?"

"I got knocked out with a baseball and I ended up in the hospital."

"I suppose that would do it, depending on where you got hit and how hard."

"What's going to happen to me?" Her father's words from the last time she was awake played through her mind, filling her with fear and she hoped to hear a different answer.

"It's not gonna be pretty."

"Tell me."

"He's gonna experiment on you, Elena. He's gonna dice and slice and poke and all that to see how quickly you heal, to see what you can survive. He's gonna push you to your limits and then past them in his quest for answers."

"But he's my father!" Elena's throat tightened and a whimper escaped her.

There was nothing more painful than hope dying, Elena realized, and nothing in her life had prepared her for this. She was so used to success, to knowing she was good and having her hopes fulfilled, that to have it all taken away, she just wasn't sure how to handle it.

"How could he do this to me?"

"You're a vampire now, darling. He doesn't care anymore." In spite of his words, Enzo kept his voice gentle. "To him, now that you're no longer human, you're no longer you, you're just something to dissect until they decide to kill you."

She hated how she couldn't keep tears from her eyes, but having to deal with all of this, she couldn't keep herself under control. Between her emotions being all over the place and the sudden changes she was having to deal with, there was no hope of her remaining cool.

"He never gave me a choice though. He forced this on me. I didn't know what was happening until it was too late! How can he blame me for this?" Her voice turned shrill as she asked her questions. "How could he do this to me?"

"People do crazy things when they're grieving. He just lost his wife and in his mind, his daughter too."

"How do you know for sure that he's gonna do those things to me?"

"I've been here a while."

"How long is a while?"

"They've had me locked up since the 50s."

"Sixty years," Elena breathed.

Jeremy would be an old man in sixty years. By that time, he might only think of her once in a while, the sister who disappeared without a trace when she was a teenager. He would have children and grandchildren who wouldn't know her, and maybe not even know about her at all. She stopped fighting her tears then. The salt water dripped back along her scalp and she blinked hard.

"Will I ever get out?"

"You can never stop believing, kid, ever," Enzo said fiercely. "Hold onto the belief that no power in the universe would allow you to suffer and die without knowing true love and to know that, you're gonna have to get out of here to find it."

Elena swallowed against the lump in her throat so she could ask her next question. "Is it possible, to turn someone from vampire to human?"

Enzo considered this for a long moment before replying, "Maybe, with some freaking powerful magic, but not the way they're doing it, no. Science can only do so much when magic is involved, because the rules of science mean nothing against the laws of magic." The sound of his head hitting the wall softly reached her ears. "Too bad these arses don't seem to understand that."

"So they're just gonna cut me up and inject me with who knows what for nothing?"

"Pretty much."

A door opened overhead and someone walked down the stairs, causing Elena's ears to prick.

"Hold onto whatever makes you you, kid. Trust me, your mind is the only thing you've got left. It's the one place you're safe."

The urgency in Enzo's voice froze Elena's blood and she turned her head towards the door, fear rising in the back of her throat. Her heart rate picked up when Grayson walked around the corner and draped his jacket over the back of his chair.

"You're afraid," Grayson said as he looked her over.

"You're gonna hurt me," Elena whispered, her lips trembling and eyes swimming with tears. "Why shouldn't I be afraid?"

Grayson unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up before pulling on a pair of latex gloves. Gone was the kind doctor everyone thought her father was. In his place was a cold stranger, willing to do whatever he had to for science.

"Dad, please. I'm still me."

"I told you already. I'm going to help you." He opened a small refrigeration unit on top of the nearby counter and pulled out a vial full of a milky substance. "I've been working on this for a while, but I never really had a reason to try it."

"What does it do?" Elena eyed the bottle, trepidation filling her. She looked at him, her dark eyes wide.

"In theory, it should take away your sensitivity to sunlight." He pierced the top with a clean syringe and started filling it. "The first step to becoming human again."

"In theory?" Her fear spiked once more. "You mean you don't know for sure?"

"This will be the first time it's been tested on a live subject, but all the tests I've done so far have proven successful."

"Dad, please."

She was desperate now, desperate for her father to realize that he was hurting _her_ , her the girl he claimed to want to save.

"This is for your own good."

Grayson pressed the needle into the skin of her forearm and pushed down. As the liquid entered her body, her arm started blistering and she threw her head back with a shriek. The pain intensified and she writhed against the restraints.

Shouldn't she have passed out by now? With as much pain as she was in, she needed to pass out. How was she supposed to survive this? This was beyond anything she'd ever experienced before. Oh, God, please. Make it stop!

One of the blisters burst revealing a hole in her muscle, as the drug started eating into her bone.

Her back arched off the table as best she could considering she was still strapped down. Was she screaming? She couldn't tell for sure because the hot tearing in her arm overpowered everything else.

All at once, it dulled into something slightly more manageable.

Elena gasped for breath, swallowing heavily. Her father had just done this to her. He'd hurt her. He'd really hurt her!

She shifted, in effort to get away from him, and then realized that her arm felt odd, painful, but strange. Startled, she looked down and a fresh wave of horror watched over her.

"You chopped off my arm!" she screeched. "You chopped it off!"

She looked back and forth from the stump of her severed limb and back at Grayson.

"It will grow back. Vampires have an uncanny knack for cellular regeneration." Grayson picked up her severed limb, tossed it into a bio-hazard waste bin, and tore off his gloves, frustration radiating from every pore.

The drug sizzled as it continued to eat away at the flesh, filling the room with a noxious odor and Elena wanted to vomit. But beneath the sizzling, there was something worse, the sound of her blood dripping from the stump of her remaining arm and making little splats as it hit the floor.

"I don't understand. It should have worked. It neutralized that portion of the DNA under the microscope every single time." Grayson braced himself on the back of his chair and hung his head before running his hands through his hair. "Why didn't it work?"

Elena lay back and stared at the ceiling. Couldn't he see that he was breaking her heart? How could he do this to her? Her father, the one she thought would protect her from the cruelties of the world, and yet he was the one hurting her more than she'd ever been hurt before.

Her arm tingled strangely through the pain, but she couldn't bring herself to look at it, as it healed.

"Please, understand that I'm not hurting you because I enjoy it. I'm trying to save you." Grayson moved so that she was forced to look at him.

"You are hurting me though." Elena looked him in the eye, willing him to see her. "Me, not that demon monster you think I am, but me, Elena, the girl you raised." She hated how her voice cracked, but she needed to say her piece.

"Of course you'd say that." Grayson's face hardened. "Even monsters want to avoid pain, but the part of you that's still my daughter will see that I was right and that all that pain was worth it. You just have to let me try."

"No matter what you think, I'm still your daughter."

"I'm going to have to rework the mix and try it again. You will be human again, I swear it." Grayson snapped a new bag of vervain into place.

"When I get out of here, I will never want to see you again."

"You'll change your mind once this is over."

"Dad." The last visages of hope drained away and her heart cracked opened. "I am the one feeling the pain though. How can I want to have anything to do with you after this?"

"Let it go, kid," Enzo said softly enough that Grayson wouldn't hear him. "Let him go. He's got his mind made up and to keep trying to get him to see the truth will only break you that much quicker. You've gotta stay strong mentally if you're gonna survive this."

With a final sob, she inhaled her feelings, closed her eyes, and put herself back onto the ice, skating through one of her coach's practices.

" _Let's run it again," Alex called twirling her finger in a circle. "Your lutz need to be absolutely perfect. Chopping the ice on your landing won't get you very far if you want to make it through the Olympic trials."_

 _Sweat poured down her body, but her adrenaline and pounding heart prevented her from feeling the chill._

" _And go!"_

 _She moved into position, then pushed herself off and leaped into the air, spinning and landing._

" _Alright! That's what I'm talking about!" Alex clapped her hands. "Now do it six more times."_

On the ice, she was powerful, invincible and as long as she remained there, no one could touch her.


	4. Chapter 4

Elena lay on the hard slab that passed for a bed, her hands folded across her stomach, trying not to focus on Enzo's screams.

To aid in his endeavors, Grayson had brought in another doctor who was just as obsessed as he was, Michelle Davenport. That woman took to her new role with gusto, relishing the pain she could cause the vampires, Elena especially. Between her and Maxfield, Elena wasn't sure who was the worst. They always managed to convince Grayson to go further than he would have otherwise if he was working alone. She hated them, more than she hated Grayson because at least Grayson's intentions were good, unlike theirs.

How long had she been down in this dungeon? Months? Years? She wasn't entirely sure. One day bled into the next and they never let her see a calendar and her view from the window didn't let her see enough to know the season. She tried to keep up with when the students were on campus and what they talked about, but that wasn't a great indicator of time.

Elena stretched and folded her hands behind her head with a sigh. She hated it that she couldn't do anything to help her newfound companion.

He was all she had in this miserable hell she now called her life. Her father destroyed her hopes and dreams and left her with nothing else, nothing but this stranger that brought her a measure of comfort in the dark. He was becoming something of a friend

Enzo screamed again and Elena rolled onto her side, trying to block out the sounds. Damn her sharp hearing. People might envy it, but when all she could hear was pain, it proved to be a torture all on its own.

She tried to put herself back onto the ice, to shut everything else out. But she couldn't create it strong enough. Her heart ached for the pain Enzo was in.

For hours, the screams continued and tears trickled down her face. The man she called 'father' was hurting people. And for what? Misplaced pride?

Finally, the screams stopped. A few minutes later, the Dr. Maxfield dragged Enzo into his cell and threw him onto the floor.

They closed the door behind them and walked out of the room.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked once they were alone.

Enzo groaned and sat up, scooting to the other wall to face her. His leg was missing and Elena winced for him.

"Just give me a minute." He situated himself into a comfortable position and breathed deeply a few times. "They've been going after you so much I'd hoped they forgot about me. But damn, that had to be the most painful thing they've ever done."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Elena. They'd have done something to me without you being here."

"Still. The experiments they're doing to you now are because of me though."

"I don't want to talk about this right now, please."

"What do you want to talk about"

"Anything but where we are."

Elena searched her mind, chewing on her lip as she tried to come up with a topic, then said, "Tell me more about the vampires out there."

"Hm." He tapped his fingers on the floor and looked up at the narrow window in his cell, then looked back at Elena. "Did I tell you about the Originals?"

"Originals?"

"I guess not." He pursed his lips, then continued, "They say they're the first vampires and that all vampires descend from them. Anyway, they live in New Orleans and have controlled the city since the late 1700s or early 1800s, the dates change depending on who you ask."

"So the Original vampires have held the same city for centuries and the humans just go along with it?"

"What can they do?" Enzo laughed. "Especially since their witch sister, Freya, joined them in the early1900s. Between her and the hybrid, no one can really challenge them anymore. Even the witches of New Orleans let them do their thing because the Originals respect and protect the witches so long as the witches don't try to kill them."

"Hybrid?"

"Legend has it that Klaus is their half-brother, a vampire born of a werewolf bloodline."

"If they're known to the vampire world, how can people not know for sure?"

"They like playing up the mystique," Enzo explained. "But I do know that his bite is lethal to vampires, he's immune to the sun, and he's a lot stronger than even his siblings, who are the strongest vampires in the world."

"Damn. Sounds like a real winner." Elena drew up one leg and rested her hand on her knee as she thought about what she'd just learned. "Wait, how can a witch live that long? I thought you said that they were mortal?"

"Witches and their spells," he shook his head, "especially Viking witches."

"'Viking witch'?"

"That's what everyone calls Freya, 'the Viking witch,'" Enzo explained.

A part of her wished that the 'Council' found out about this so they would try to take them down. Maybe that way, they could get a taste of their own medicine, trying to take on thousand year old supernatural people who wouldn't go down so easily. She allowed herself a small smile at the thought of Wes getting messed up in the effort.

"Who's the most dangerous of them, in your opinion?"

"Hm." Enzo pursed his lips, considering. "Most people say Klaus because of what he is and he plays up that reputation, but I think that title belongs to Elijah."

"Why?"

"Klaus is just a loose cannon. If you stay out of his way and keep your head down, he misses you when he fires off, unless directed by one of his siblings, usually Elijah. But with Elijah, he's so smooth and lethal, you don't really know what he's planning until his hand is in your chest."

"Excuse me while I politely extract your heart," Elena giggled. Some part of her mind was shocked by the things she found humorous now. Before turning, before her father showed her the true meaning of pain, she never would have considered laughing at something like that. But now, being exposed to blood every day, there was no longer any horror attached to it.

"Exactly." Enzo snickered. "Or backhand your head from your shoulders." He swiped his hand, miming the motion Elijah would have to do to take someone's head off.

"He's that strong?"

"Yeah. You know vampires get stronger as they age and the Originals are _really_ strong."

"What about the others? What are they like?"

"Elijah and Klaus are the middle sons and they're pretty much the sword and shield of the family and because they're the ones on the front lines. I couldn't tell you much about the others, except that there's the oldest two, the twins Finn and Freya, then Kol, and Rebekah, the youngest two. I just know that they'll jump into the fight if they think it's too much for just them."

"Huh. A family that sticks together?"

"You've got it, sweetheart. You attack one of them, you've got the other five to worry about and they're all equally dangerous."

"But if I want to go some place safe for vampires, go there and don't piss them off."

"It's a city better suited for older vampires—because older equals stronger, you know—but they might take pity on you if they knew your story. I know they sometimes pick up the random stray and help them along."

"So if I go there and prove that I'm worth their time, they'll help me?"

"Pretty much."

Elena looked up at the window where just a little light came through, but not enough for the sun to reach her. It was early spring and she could hear the students enjoying the weather. She missed feeling the sun on her face and grass beneath her feet. She missed the sun, missed the way the warmth seeped into her veins and made her feel alive.

It saddened her that the only way she'd feel that was if she got a witch to make her a daylight ring like Enzo's. But she was a baby vampire with no skills to recommend her. What witch would make a deal with a washed up figure skater who knew how to dance? That wasn't enough for anyone to trade a daylight ring for.

Someone walked by the window, so close that if she climbed up the wall, she might actually see their face. But what could she tell them? In the day, the only thing getting that close to the window would give her is a burn. So it was best to just stay here and try to come up with a plan to get away.

"Have you ever actually met them?" Elena's curiosity couldn't be assuaged. She needed to know everything there was to know about them. "The Originals?"

"I shared a drink with Klaus, and I saw the others at parties they threw and that's when I realized that Elijah really is the most dangerous. He's got these calculating dark eyes that read every thought you ever had. It's very unnerving."

"Fun."

"I will say that Rebekah is very beautiful and if she hadn't been involved with someone for a few decades already by the time I met her, I might have made a move on her. Blonde hair, blue eyes, perfect skin, she really was loveliness defined." Enzo got a far away look in his eyes and he stared at the ceiling. "Not that you're not pretty, you're just too sweet for me."

"How flattering," Elena drawled sarcastically.

"We'll get out and we'll both find people who are good for us."

"Can you think of anything else you can tell me about New Orleans and the Originals?"

"No one knows how to kill them. At least those who do know how to kill them are keeping it to themselves."

"Seriously?"

"From what I've heard, yeah. I didn't stay in New Orleans long enough to find out that much."

"When were you there?"

"During the Prohibition, the Originals ran the biggest bootleg liquor operation in the South so New Orleans was a great place, especially for vampires, so that's where I went. I helped them, but I didn't get very high in the organization."

"Why?"

"I wasn't there long enough to prove myself worthy of climbing the ranks, but long enough to get invited to their parties." He held up his right hand and waved his fingers. "Having a daylight ring made me useful to them though."

"You'll need to get that back before we do anything once we escape."

"Don't worry. I know exactly where it is." Enzo's gaze trained on a spot on the wall to his right and his teeth bared just a little. "I think you'll have a better time with them than I did. The single men in the family are fond of beautiful girls, so they might like you if you go there. If you attract the attention of one of them, he might give you a place in hopes that you fall for him."

The thought of earning her place because of her face twisted her stomach. She wanted to earn it by her own merit, not on her back. She was a talented skater and she took dance lessons during the summer. Maybe they would be fascinated by that and want her to perform for them. That would be enough to make her happy. As long as she earned her keep with her true abilities, she would be happy.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. They'll see soon enough that you have worth beyond how pretty you are."

"Like what?"

"You're loyal, compassionate, intelligent, and desperate to learn more, traits that would recommend you to Elijah."

"Intelligent," Elena scoffed, "I didn't even graduate high school."

"But because of your travels and your insatiable need to soak everything up, you learned can read and speak Spanish to the point of getting around and you were on the way to doing the same with French. That's more than a lot of people can say. And you're always looking for new things to learn. Otherwise why would you pester me for lessons?"

"Thanks for the confidence boost." Elena looked down at Enzo's damaged leg. "How are you feeling?"

"I'll be okay. I'm just gonna be thirstier than I've been in a while until they give me more blood."

"We do have to start coming up with plans to get out of here." Elena banged her head against the wall a few times. "I don't know how you've survived fifty years down here. I don't think I could do five before I go crazy."

"I just can't let them win"

"I swear it, if I get the chance, I will get you out."

"I've heard that before," Enzo said, his expression darkening.

"What do you mean?"

"The last one who was locked up with me promised to help me get out, but when he had the chance, he ran off, leaving me for dead. We planned for a year to make our escape, but it didn't go as it was supposed to for me."

"That's awful! Who could do that? And knowing what they would do to you if he left you?"

"He took his chance and I guess he just couldn't see any way to get me out too. I want to kick his arse from here to Kentucky and back, but I still think of him as a friend."

"I can understand that. But still, I'd be angry with him for a while."

"Oh, I will be." Enzo laughed darkly. "I've got plans for when I meet him again."

"Good. Don't forgive him right away. "


	5. Chapter 5

She was thirsty, so thirsty, close to the point that if she didn't get some blood soon, she might actually take a bite out of the vervained 'doctors'. Considering how her tolerance was going up with all the vervain they pumped into her system, she might be able to get a good bit before it affected her.

To distract herself from her ever present hunger that they refused to let her fully satisfy, she turned her mind to the people she loved, but would probably never see again if Grayson and his minions had anything to say about it.

Alex, her coach and mentor, the woman who drove her to succeed. Had she found a new skater? She was a woman who coached athletes for a living, so Elena couldn't blame her for it. But did this athlete love to skate the way she did? Alex was the one who believed in her abilities the most, who helped her find sponsors, who pushed her to be the best, so Elena hoped she found success with her next skater.

She rolled onto her side, facing the wall, and folded her arm under her head.

What was Jeremy doing? Did he pursue his art? He was so talented even with only a little bit of public school training, that she hoped he hadn't lost that drive. If she had to guess, she'd say he had probably graduated high school by now.

Her brother with his shy smile and penchant for dark clothes. How tall was he now? He'd had been coming up on a growth spurt before she died, and he was close to her height already, so he would be taller than her now. She tried to picture how he might look now, but found herself struggling.

She sighed and shook her head. It was weird to think that her little brother was now physically older than she was.

Her aunt would have gotten her degree by now and be helping people deal with their issues. Was she married? And if so, to who? She tried picturing whoever might have finally captured her aunt's attention, but no one came to mind. Who was her maid of honor, since she'd promised that position to Elena? Jenna would have been a beautiful bride though, regardless of the groom, but probably sad, since both her sister and her niece were absent.

Someone laughed just outside her window, a surprise considering how late it was, and Bonnie and Caroline crashed into her thoughts, the only girls she knew weren't using her for what she could do. Elena lay back and tapped a rhythm on the wall beside her with her knuckles.

"Are you serious?"

Elena turned her head, startled. It had been months since she'd heard Caroline's voice. What was she doing out on the quad so late?

"No. That is not good enough!"

" _I'm sorry, Miss Forbes. There's nothing. As far as the paper trail is concerned, Elena Gilbert no longer exists and I assure you that I followed up every lead."_

Caroline. She was still looking. She hadn't given up. She knew Elena didn't just leave.

"What about those rumors of a possible sighting you told me about?"

" _I'm sorry, Miss Forbes, but that turned out to be a lookalike, a convincing lookalike, but a lookalike nonetheless."_

"There has to be something!"

" _I've done all I can. I've used everything at my disposal to try to find your friend, but I found nothing."_ He paused. _"I'm afraid the only possible explanation is that she's dead and whoever killed her disposed of her body in a way that it will never be found."_

"I don't believe that," Caroline huffed. "Okay, well, thanks anyway."

She hung up the phone and sighed.

"Who was that?" Bonnie asked.

"That FBI agent I got to take the case a few months ago? Yeah, he found nothing."

Elena could clearly imagine Caroline's annoyed expression as she shoved her phone into her bag, and they started walking.

"People don't just disappear, Bonnie. Not like this."

"I've been looking too, Care. I've got nothing, which isn't good news. So he might be right."

"Unless we find a body, I have to believe she's still alive," Caroline said resolutely.

Their conversation faded as they got further away from the house.

The thought of her friends nearby, it made her look up at the narrow window wistfully. They were moving on, living, while she was frozen in a seventeen year old body for the rest of her life. They would even have children too eventually, unlike her.

A hot pang of jealousy ripped through her at the thought of her friends getting married and becoming mothers. Her with her dead uterus, she would never know what it was like to have a baby. Aching loneliness seeped into her bones and she bit the inside of her cheek hard, in effort to drive it back to the farthest corners of her mind.

Elena traced patterns on the ceiling above her while she fought to regain control.

Footsteps on the stairs drew her out of her thoughts and she turned her head. Who were her tormentors today? From the sound of their footfalls on the stairs, it was both Davenport and Maxfield. Yay. Today was going to be extra painful.

From the way Davenport huffed, she and Maxfield were having another one of their disagreements. As often as they fought, it was a wonder they could work together without sabotaging each others' work and taking credit for something the other did if they could get away with it.

"You know he'll never go for it," Maxfield said arrogantly. It wasn't uncommon for him to take that tone with her, especially in regards to Grayson, claiming that since he'd worked with Grayson longer, he knew the older man better.

What were they talking about? Elena's ears pricked and she tuned in more closely.

"Why not?" Davenport asked, her voice pitching up. "It could help so many people. How could he deny us that?"

Davenport sounded so desperate. This woman wanted something from her.

"She might be a vampire, but that's too far, even for him."

If it was too far for Grayson, just what did she want to do to her? She knew that Davenport hated her, but whatever that so called doctor had planned, it had to be terrible.

She couldn't breathe. Her heart started racing and the world started closing in. No. No! Not right now. She couldn't let this happen right now. They couldn't see her like this. They already had control of her body, they couldn't know how they affected her mind, not now, not ever. Her mind was her last refuge. They couldn't know it was compromised.

 _Breathe. In two, three. Out two, three._

Finally, her body relaxed and her heartbeat returned to normal. Good. Good. They wouldn't know how close she'd come to a panic attack.

"He needs to just give up. She's not going to become human again, no matter what he does. He should just let us do proper experiments on her. It's not like she won't recover from whatever we do to her. She won't even scar," Davenport said, her tone derisive. "She's the perfect subject for this because unlike a human, it won't kill her.

Proper experiments. What, so the pain they put her through almost every day weren't proper experiments? Apparently, Davenport was even more bloodthirsty than she'd thought. The nerves at the base of her skull tightened and she gripped her hands together.

"So do you have any idea what the almighty Gilbert's got planned today?" Davenport continued.

"From what it sounded like, he's going to be taking samples. He thinks he's got a way to quell the thirst for blood and he wants to run some tests."

Sample taking. Poking, prodding, and cutting. As painful as that would be, at least there were no drug injections in the cards tonight.

Every injection had similar reactions. No matter what, they burned her so badly that they always ended up removing a limb. That blood loss left her closer to desiccation every time they cut her up and they didn't let her recover that because that, coupled with vervain left her easy to control.

"I can think of a few tests I'd like to start running," Davenport commented. "She needs to be put to some real use instead of lying there day after day while her father tries to _save_ her."

As they came down the stairs, Elena lay back and waited.

Michelle Daveport, a stunning, statuesque blonde with brilliant hazel eyes, stopped outside her cell and just stood there for a moment.

"It's hard to believe that this girl is a vampire," Davenport mocked. "She's just so, pathetic."

Elena's irritation rose and she wished she was stronger. This woman was so full of herself, she didn't seem to understand what she was actually doing. Making fun of a vampire wasn't a smart idea on the best day because there was no guarantee that vampire was going to remain under her control. And clearly, Davenport had never encountered a vampire who wasn't a prisoner of the Council. But one day Elena would be free and Davenport would pay for her actions against her.

"You know, Enzo, I've had a thought," Elena called.

"What's that?"

"That you've gotta be a real loser to get your kicks experimenting on people."

"Talk about pathetic," Enzo agreed.

Davenport made a sound under her breath that Elena wasn't sure she was even aware she'd made and Elena smirked. Since she wasn't strong enough to get herself out of this situation, she could at least make her tormentors as miserable as possible and getting under Davenport's skin was all too easy.

The door slid open and Davenport stepped into the room, followed by Maxfield.

"Get up," Davenport snapped.

Elena closed her eyes and folded her hands across her chest.

"Come on." Davenport's voice turned into a snarl.

Davenport then grabbed one of Elena's arms, while Maxfield wrapped his hand around her other, and together, they yanked her to her feet. Instead of standing up, Elena allowed herself to fall to the floor and they caught her.

Enzo snickered softly from behind her.

"Is she serious right now?" Maxfield grunted when her elbow hit him in the stomach. "Come on, use your feet."

"Don't even try to fight with her. Just get her to the lab."

Between the two doctors, they managed to drag Elena to their desired destination.

Once they got her onto the table, she stared up at the ceiling and blinked slowly, opening up her mind palace, an ice skating rink surrounded by a darkened stadium, only the lit ice. Each piece was carefully constructed to feel real, the chill of the air, the sound of her blades on the ice, her heart pounding, muscles flexing as she moved. As long as she held onto that illusion, she was safe. They could do what they wanted with her weakened body, but her mind was as strong as ever.

She got so good at losing herself in her skating that she rarely even screamed anymore. Why should she scream when nothing existed outside of her and the ice? Though her body was no longer hers, her mind remained firmly within her grasp.

Grayson's face appeared in her field of vision, but she refused to focus on him. He wasn't her father, not anymore, so he didn't deserve her attention. He lost the right to call himself her father the day he decided to turn her into one of his lab rats. Hell, he lost it when he started experimenting on people.

She closed her eyes as the rink embraced her and nothing else mattered.

Grayson sighed as he took in Elena's still from lying on the table in front of him.

With her closed eyes and even breathing, he could almost trick himself into believing she was under anesthesia and that he was about to perform a normal operation on his human daughter. Even as the thought crossed his mind, he pushed it away. Thinking like that would soften his resolve and he couldn't afford that, not when he was so close to having her back home.

This was his little girl though, his Elena. The longer he kept her down here the more she slipped away. She'd stopped screaming, stopped begging, stopped speaking to him over a year ago. The light he'd seen in her eyes in the beginning, that spark of Elena, it had faded with every procedure. Was he destroying her in his efforts to save her?

No. He couldn't doubt himself. He wouldn't give up. He was so close to a breakthrough, he could feel it. All he had to do was find that gene that needed to be silenced. Then he'd have Elena back and he'd be able to hear her laugh once more. He wouldn't even complain about her skating costumes, if only he could have her home, where she belonged.

"Are we going to work now?" Davenport asked, cutting through his musings.

"Hand me the scalpel." He held out his hand.


	6. Chapter 6

Where was he? Too much time had passed without anything happening to her. She couldn't say that she missed the pain, but she couldn't shake that sense of foreboding. After so long, the pain had become normal. For things to change now, something was wrong, terribly wrong. She felt it deep in her bones.

Unfamiliar footsteps crossed the porch and the front door opened. Elena waited, but no one came down the stairs. Now, after days of no one coming down to the lab, the Augustine Society gathered upstairs for an out of schedule meeting, one that was larger than any she'd ever heard before.

More cars pulled up, and more people arrived, and still no one opened the basement door.

Elena cocked her head and inhaled. What was with all that hair gel and cologne? Not even Maxfield used that much on the days when he was trying to impress a visitor. And high heels? Who wore high heels in a lab? If they weren't here for the vampires, what was going on? And where was Grayson?

Grayson never went this long without at least coming down to check something, even if he didn't actually interact with her. So now, for him to leave them alone for so long, it was strange and terrifyingly unusual, and now, this gathering. Something was definitely wrong.

As more and more people gathered, Elena started listening in on them, desperate for some answers.

Davenport greeting someone caught her attention and she tuned into the conversation

"I hate to be callous, but this will give us the opportunity to do what we need to do," Davenport was saying. "He's been holding back on what we can do, what we can accomplish with a female vampire in our custody, just because of who she was to him, you know this."

"I can't say that I don't agree about how he handled Elena," the woman she was talking to said. "But it is a great blow to us, nonetheless. We have to remember exactly what we've lost."

What loss? And why would Davenport say that? The only thing she wanted was something Grayson didn't want, whatever that might be, and if Davenport thought she could finally do what she wanted, that meant Grayson was no longer in the picture.

"Now that he's no longer with us, we can only hope we can carry on his work as well as he did. He was a brilliant man and his absence will be keenly felt," a third woman added.

What was with the PR statements about Grayson? People didn't talk like that unless something happened and they had to say something about an unfortunate situation.

But Grayson was too committed to their cause to just leave them or move away and he'd never risk his reputation or career over a scandal. Nor would he go back on his promise to never rest until Elena was human again. So what happened? Why was he no longer with the Augustine Society?

Her mind spun with all the possibilities of what might have made the man she once called father to separate from the cause he held above his own family. What the hell happened?

"Enzo," Elena whispered to the man lying on the slab in the other cell. When he didn't respond, she sat up and called a little louder, "Enzo! Hey! Enzo! Wake up!"

Enzo turned his head and looked at her, "What?"

"I think something may have happened to Grayson."

"What makes you think that?"

"Aren't you paying attention to what's going on upstairs?" Elena pointed up.

"No, why?" Enzo blinked lazily then closed his eyes again. "Just another Augustine wankfest. 'Look at us. Look at this amazing job we're doing.'"

"Just listen."

"Tonight, we gather to mourn the loss of our brightest visionary, Grayson Gilbert," their leader, a woman Elena had only seen once, said. "With his brilliance, we were able to accomplish so much more than we would have without him. His death is a great tragedy for us all and we can only hope that we can carry on his work in the way he wanted."

Jeremy. How was Jeremy handling this? His entire immediate family was either dead or missing. Three people in just a few years. Her poor brother so much death before he was even twenty. Yet another funeral, another headstone. He was all alone, aside from Jenna. She ached to hug him, to let him know that she was still alive and that she still loved him.

Elena wasn't sure what to think or how to feel upon hearing that. Memories she'd refused to think about for so long surfaced with a vengeance, memories of when they were happy, a family, before she knew what a monster he really was. She found herself missing that, the closeness, the pride he had in her, the way he encouraged her to push on. He was the one who bandaged her up when she injured herself, the one who encouraged her to get back on the ice when she fell over and over again early on. It was because of him that she kept going.

"Damn," Enzo said finally.

Elena blinked, drawn out of her thoughts.

"Looks like I'm going to be in for it now," Elena sighed and slumped against her bed. "What Grayson did was awful, but he stopped them from doing a lot of other stuff to me. Only he's not around anymore, so they'll do what they want now."

"They both are much more vicious than he was, so you're not the only one."

"But Davenport hates actually hates me," Elena pointed out, giving a side eye glance at Enzo and pursing her lips.

"Which is strange because she's almost pleasant with me, even when she's cutting me up."

"Maybe she's got a crush on you. But why is she such a bitch towards me? What, does she see me as a rival for your affection?" Elena laughed as she struggled to wrap her head around the ludicrousy of that idea.

"She hates you because you're a young, beautiful woman and you'll be young and beautiful for the rest of your existence, but she will age. But if she turns, she loses her reputation and her career. So she takes out her frustration at that on you."

"So in some strange way she views me as what she wishes she could be." Elena sighed. "Now she's caught between a rock and a hard place, she wants to be beautiful forever, but she wants the power of what she is now too. Either she becomes like me or she keeps power over me. She can't have both."

"Yep."

"We need to try to get out of here now more than ever. At least Grayson had scruples. These guys don't."

"Elena, he only had scruples because he loved you," Enzo said gently. "If he didn't, he might have pushed things a little further."

"There's another thing though. He did this because it's a cause he truly believes in. They don't believe in this like he did. They just want the recognition, which means they're going to have no qualms about pushing the boundaries beyond anything Grayson did though."

The woman upstairs continued talking, "We will look for Grayson's successor in Dr. Davenport and Dr. Maxfield. We know they are both very talented individuals and that they will continue Grayson's work in a way he would have been proud of."

A tremor raced down her spine and before settling in her heart, freezing her bones. They were giving the two worst offenders free reign to do what they wanted

"I'm scared, Enzo," Elena admitted in a small voice. "I've seen the way they look at me. I'm so scared."

She rolled onto her side and wrapped her arms around her knees. For however long she'd been locked up, she'd become accustomed to Grayson's brand of torture. She knew his limits, grew to trust them. But now, they were gone and now she had no idea what was going to happen next.

What would happen to her now? She had no one to shield her from Davenport's plans. As cruel as he was, she trusted Grayson to not go into certain areas. Now, she had nothing. She was being pushed beyond anything she'd experienced before.

If Grayson wouldn't go near what Davenport wanted to do to her, it had to be terrible, since he could cut off her limbs without flinching.

The gathering upstairs continued for several more hours, as each person seemed determined to claim their time in the spotlight, to try to gain points with their fellow members with what they knew about Grayson Gilbert.

As Elena listened to them, it struck her how strange it was, hearing them extol the worst of him and forget the best part of him: the way he raised his children. That was his only redeeming quality, how kind he was to the people in his home.

She supposed that to them, it was acceptable for him to torture them because they were vampires, and to them, the feelings of vampires weren't worth considering.

"Why can't they just shut up?" Enzo groaned, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes. "Yes, we know, Gilbert was a hellava smart guy, but he was a dick about it."

He scowled at the ceiling as if by will alone he could make them obey.

When Davenport started speaking, making her promises to the group, how she was going to use Elena to further women's health research, that fear Elena felt earlier surfaced again and she drew a shuddering breath. Just what was Davenport planning to do to her?

"Would you listen to her?" Enzo muttered, thoroughly annoyed. "She's so full of herself. She thinks she's gonna revolutionize everything."

"What are we going to do, Enzo?" Elena asked, her voice cracking. "Whatever she's going to do to revolutionize women's health, it's so terrible that Grayson wouldn't even listen to her when she tried to talk to him about it."

"I promise you, kid, we're gonna get out of here, together. I'm not gonna leave you behind."

"How are we going to do it? We've got no plan!" They'd tried brainstorming before, but they never got very far. Grayson was too focused on her for them to try anything without blowing the entire thing and alerting their captors to the weaknesses in their prison.

"I've been planning, Elena. I've been trying to come up with a plan, since before you got here, but they're a hell of a lot more careful now than they were when Damon got away. His escape taught them how to contain us better!" Enzo shouted, frustrated now.

Enzo didn't understand her fear, not really. He didn't know what it was like to be a woman in captivity. Especially with the way the two doctors looked at her, like they were planning something far worse than sticking needles into her and chopping off limbs. Maxfield especially.

She knew that look, had seen it many times in her years on the ice. His gaze made her feel dirty, like she needed a hot shower just because she was in the same building with him, and she was certain that the only thing keeping him from acting against her was her father. But now, she could no longer hide behind him, so no telling what Mazfield would do to her now.

"Elena, listen to me," Enzo said quietly. "Listen to me. We're going to get out of here. I've got something I'm working on. I just need a little time."

"Time," Elena whispered. After drawing a shuddering breath, she whispered, "That might be something I don't have. They're gonna put their plans into motion now that Grayson is gone and I seem to be the focus of them."

"No, you do not get to talk like that, Elena," Enzo snarled, fierce. "We're getting out of here. You and me, we are getting out of here, together."

She blinked back tears and swallowed thickly, then said,"What if I don't make it?"

"You have to believe, Elena. You've made it this long. If you give up now, they win. Promise me you won't give up. Promise me," Enzo said through clenched teeth.

"I promise." Even as the words passed her lips, she wondered how true they could be. Just because she made a promise, didn't mean she would be able to keep it. She would do everything in her power to make those words not be a lie, but how long could she last?


	7. Chapter 7

The next day passed slowly, fear and nerves forcing Elena to focus on every second. The clock in the other room ticked, louder with every second, until that sound became the only thing she heard. Enzo tried to get her to talk, to distract her, but after several unsuccessful attempts, he too fell silent.

Finally, the sun went down and time started passing much faster, too fast. They were coming soon. They had no excuse to stay away now that Grayson was dead and buried. What would they do to her? What sort of torments did Grayson try to protect her from?

It made her sick to think of Grayson as any sort of protector, after everything he'd done to her, all the pain he'd caused her. How could an abuser be a protector? He'd tortured her, kept her imprisoned, and refused to accept that she was still the same person, that's she'd just changed species.

But she'd been locked up so long, she wasn't sure what to believe, or what to think anymore. Who was good, who was bad? Was there such a thing anymore? No. Now there was only survive and find a way to escape. By keeping her confined, he'd reduced her to an animal.

Davenport and Maxfield were going to try to break her down even more, by destroying her will to live, to make her completely pliant so she would just be their perfect little lab rat. She had to get out. She had to. How much more could she take? She wasn't sure. Somehow she knew she was nearing the end of her rope.

How did Enzo do it? How did he keep up faith that they would be free? Every goal, everything she dreamed of, it required her to be human. As a vampire, she had nothing left, nothing to hope for. How could she dream when she would always be a teenage girl for the rest of her eternity?

Believing in love, that there was love out there, waiting once they got out, wasn't enough, not any more. She'd never been in love before, so how could she know how it felt? How could she be sure that it was worth living for, worth fighting for?

Footfalls on the walk outside caused her ears to perk up and she turned her head towards the sound. They were coming for her now. There was no more time. Her hell was just getting that much worse, so much worse.

Elena inhaled and closed her eyes. She wanted to escape to her skating arena, but she also needed to know what they were going to do to her first. She had to know. Shutting herself in her internal stronghold like that wasn't safe. Not knowing what they were doing to her left her at an even greater disadvantage than she was at already.

It was easy to shut out Grayson, because she knew there were lines he wouldn't cross and she trusted them. Until she knew more about how Maxfield and Davenport operated without Grayson to control them, she couldn't let herself go into her sanctuary.

"Don't let them see your fear," Enzo said, the first words she'd been able to process from him all day. "If they see it, they'll only make things worse for you because they know what they're doing is getting to you."

They walked down the stairs and Elena forced herself to breathe, to push down her emotions.

 _Get back. Behind the walls. Don't let them see. Don't let them know how afraid you are. Let them think you're strong still._

Her internal pep talk worked and finally, she felt her face relax into an impassive mask.

"Good girl." Enzo's voice dropped lower, so the doctors couldn't hear him as they entered the main room.

"Look at her," Davenport said as she hung her bag and jacket on the hook near the door, then turned to stare at Elena, her lips curled into a smirk. "She has to know her father is dead by now, and yet, no tears, no reaction, nothing."

Elena stared at the wall, refusing to acknowledge their presence. How could they expect her to mourn for the man who'd tortured her for who knows how long? Were they really that dense, to think she'd miss him?

"When do you want to start?" Maxfield asked Davenport.

Elena's ears pricked, but she still didn't move. When would they start offering actual clues to their plan for her? They hadn't given anything away, which made her think that they were afraid of what her reaction might be if she knew.

What was so horrible that they would keep this quiet? Her mind spun with the possibilities of what they could do to her, but she couldn't think of anything. What could they do to her? Her body was dead, non-functioning. So either she was desperate, or she had a secret she didn't share with Grayson about how to change things.

"Immediately." Davenport pulled on her lab coat and tied her hair back as she spoke. "So no more vervain for her."

"Are you sure we can control her without it?" Maxfield's eyebrows rose into his hairline and he shook his head. "The only way this works at all, if it does, which I doubt, considering she's technically dead, is if she has a little more blood than usual and if you take away the vervain too, she'll be a lot stronger than you've ever controlled before."

"We've kept vampires for far longer. We know how to handle them. I'm not worried." Davenport checked her phone, scrolling through a message as she continued, "She needs to be ready and vervain will hinder the process."

Elena bit back a growl and locked down her muscles to keep her from jumping to her feet. Davenport's arrogance made Elena want to scratch the _good doctor's_ eyes out, but she remained still, refusing to allow the doctor to see her anger.

"What the hell are they planning?" Enzo whispered.

"She did say something about some sort of cure in women's health," Elena said, barely moving her lips as she spoke.

"Too bad there's no cure for her hubris. She might not be such an idiot if there were."

Elena's mouth twitched a little, but the rest of her remained still.

Beneath the facade she showed Enzo, she felt broken and she wasn't sure how much more she could take. Too much had already happened: the confinement, her father's betrayal, and subsequent torture. Elena knew she only had a little more to go before got her where they wanted her.

"You're very confident," Maxfield commented.

"What can she do, Wes?" Davenport asked mockingly and pointed to the vervain filled sprinkler system lining the ceiling. "Any wrong move from her and she'll be on the floor."

"I still don't like it," Maxfield muttered, to softly for Davenport to hear.

"Ooooh, trouble in paradise," Enzo murmured. "I like it. It means they'll get sloppy and we can find a way out."

Elena wanted to believe Enzo, to have his faith that they would one day be free. How could he still have hope? After being locked up for so long, how could he still think they'd get out? His best plan went up in smoke because the other guy ran off, leaving him to die. So why still think they'd ever taste freedom?

People most likely stopped looking for them. Not even Caroline talked about looking for her anymore. Speaking of, when was the last time she'd heard Caroline talking? Maybe that's why she found herself giving up, because she hadn't heard the one person who refused to give up on her talking in a while.

Davenport smacked the bars above Elena's head, startling her out of her thoughts. "Get over here."

With a resigned sigh, Elena stood up obediently and crossed the tiny cell.

A part of her, deep down, hated how quickly she obeyed. She wished she could put up a fight, to ignore them and their commands. But she found it easier to just give in and get it over with, to surrender to the inevitable. Things only got worse if she disobeyed, like they were punishing her for trying to have a will of her own.

"Hold out your arm." Davenport radiated nervous energy, bouncing on her toes just a little and a slight tremor shook her hands.

Elena stuck her arm through the bars and waited.

For a brief moment, she imagined grabbing Davenport and slamming her into the bars hard enough to crush the her. But she pushed that thought away. Maxfield was just across the room and he'd make sure she paid for that, either by using the vervain or by hurting Enzo.

"Doing blood work already?" Maxfield asked snarkily. "You're ready to get started, aren't you?"

Davenport inhaled sharply, her careful facade cracking for a split second, but she recovered quickly, though not quickly enough. Maxfield's snort told Elena he knew he'd struck a soft spot with his comment.

Elena's stomach dropped even further. If this was personal, much like with Grayson trying to turn her human, there were no lengths she wouldn't go to to achieve her goals, except Davenport didn't give a crap about her so whatever she was planning had to be even worse than anything Grayson did.

"I need her blood to figure out how much of which I need to administer. Vervain doesn't interfere with that enough for it to be an issue." Davenport wrapped the rubber band around Elena's upper arm and slapped her inner elbow a few times, trying to find a vein.

"It might be easier to find if she had a decent amount of blood in her system," Enzo commented. He shifted on his bed and sighed.

Davenport didn't look up, but the tightening of her grip told Elena that the comment annoyed the doctor. She didn't like being told what to do, especially when it came to Elena. Finally, she found what she was looking for and shoved a needle into Elena's arm none too gently.

Enzo's jaw clicked and Elena glanced at him. He glanced down, a little guilty and Elena gave him a quick smile of forgiveness. As thirsty as they were, even the sight of Elena's blood made them both uncomfortable, so she couldn't fault him for his reaction.

How long had it been since his thirst had been sated? Elena knew it had to have been decades, since he'd been locked up at least. What was it like, not feeling that ache throughout her entire body, the maddening thirst?

Turning her attention back to the needle in her arm, Elena watched the blood flow into the vacuum tube, her face blank. She just wanted this to be over. Maybe they'd leave her alone for a while, at least long enough to spend time in her arena.

"How did you do it?" Elena asked suddenly.

"Do what?"

"Kill Grayson?"

"I didn't." Davenport's heart skipped, but her face remained blank.

Elena leaned her head back and stared at the wall. As much as she hated Grayson for what he did to her, he didn't deserve to be murdered, especially not by a woman like Davenport. The part of her that remembered Grayson's kindness as a child wanted to cry, while the rest of her just wished there was a way to bring Davenport to justice.

But there was nothing she could do. Any attempts would result in her death or in something happening to Enzo. Justice was a joke and Davenport would get away with murder.

Once the tube was full, Davenport pulled the needle out of her arm and backed away from her. Instead of looking at Elena with that triumphant expression she always wore, Davenport couldn't stop looking at the tube in her hand, as if it held all the secrets of the universe.

Elena returned to her bed and lay down. Closing her eyes, she evened her breathing as she allowed her sanctuary to welcome her. The smooth slide of her skates, the chill of the air, the pull of her muscles, it soothed the jagged edges of her mind. But it was like taking a pain killer and expecting it to fix a compound fracture.

Would she shatter before she was able to get out? She had to remain strong for Enzo; she couldn't crack before he was free. He'd been locked up for so long, tortured by her father, that she owed it to him to keep herself together for as long as she could.

Finally, the last conscious thought faded away and the only thoughts she had involved skating. Nothing else mattered, not even what they planned to do with her body. Because they couldn't touch her here. In her mind, she was safe from anything they might try.


	8. Chapter 8

For days, weeks maybe, Davenport injected her with a cocktail of drugs, then testing the results before trying a new combination. Even with her increase in blood intake, it was a wonder she had anything left after all the poking and prodding.

With every dose, she could feel her body changing somehow, right down to her subtly shifting scent. Her senses felt like they'd been pushed into overdrive, every sound, every smell, it all affected her so much more than it ever had before, even more than when she first transitioned.

Now, the _good_ doctor was ready to go through with whatever she'd been prepping Elena for.

Elena lay on the table, the straps over her arms, legs, and chest keeping her from moving too much. Breaking them would result in them both getting soaked in vervain. She stared at the ceiling, evening out her breathing in preparation for disappearing into her private world.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Davenport push her goggles down over her eyes, then tug on her latex gloves. The snap of the material against the doctor's skin echoed through the room.

It was time. The pain was about to begin and if she didn't shut out the physical world soon, she would feel every cut.

Davenport moved to stand at Elena's side then pulled up her shirt. Taking a marker out of the pocket on her jacket, she started making lines on Elena's lower stomach. Once Davenport was satisfied with the marks she'd made, she walked around the table to the surgical robot and powered it up.

"Do whatever it is that you do not to move," Davenport said. "I only have one shot at this unless I want to wait another month to attempt to harvest these cells."

Without replying, Elena closed her eyes and allowed herself to sink into her sanctuary, shutting out the world.

After so long being locked up and needing the mental exercise in effort to stay sane, she created her own routines. As a result, she no longer needed to imagine Alex's coaching to get her where she needed to be. Now, her sanctuary was entirely her own, just her and whatever music she wanted to skate to that day.

"Hey, kid. Wake up," Enzo's voice drew her back to reality. "It's safe to come out; the wicked witch has been in her lab for a bit now."

Elena surfaced to find herself back in her cell, to hear Davenport humming from the other room and Elena rolled her eyes. It was a pity the doctor didn't have a terrible singing voice because Elena didn't want to admire her ability.

She glanced at the window above her head, surprised to see faint gray light filtering through. Seriously? She'd been out that long? What the hell was Davenport looking for, for her to take all night poking and prodding?

"What the hell did she do to you?" Enzo asked. He gave a sarcastic chuckle. "Did she pull out an eye and let it grow back? Trying to get an exact time for how long it takes yours to heal in comparison to mine? Because damn, she never took that long on either of us before."

"I don't really know." Elena shrugged. "She just told me she was going to take a bunch of cell samples, but not of what. Why?"

"Because she's really happy, too happy right now, at least in my opinion. It's scary almost, the way she's acting," Enzo muttered. "She must think she's got something she can work with, whatever she's doing. Because I don't think I've ever seen her like this."

"Here's hoping it doesn't involve her harvesting my organs and selling them on the black market." Elena put her arm under her head and sighed. "I'm not sure how well a human would take to my liver inside them."

"She'd make quite a bit of money though, having a limitless supply of organs. Too bad for them if they happen to have a bad reaction to vampire body parts."

"I wouldn't put it passed her after what she did to Grayson."

"I heard."

"Me, I can understand why she'd do whatever it is she wants to do to me. I'm a vampire and the Council hates vampires. But him? He was human and the smartest person they had on staff."

"But he stood in the way and you're probably the only person who thought she might be willing to do something like that."

"So, what? She just gets away with killing him?"

"Since when do you care?" Enzo leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. "After everything he's done to us, why care?"

"I don't-" she shook her head. "I don't know. I just know that for some reason, I do care."

"I've got it," Davenport cheered to herself. "It worked! It actually worked!"

Elena propped herself up on her elbows and turned her head towards where Davenport was. From the corner of her eye, she saw Enzo straighten as well. They'd kept their plans for her so under wraps so much that even he was intrigued by what they wanted.

The front door opened and Elena recognized Maxfield's footsteps as he approached the basement door. Great. That ass. His arrogance was almost as bad as Davenport's desire to use her to further her own career and Elena wished something would happen to wipe the desire to ever smirk from his mind.

A moment later, the other doctor joined Davenport in the lab.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Maxfield asked.

"I think I got my breakthrough. It's not that her body is dead. That's not the issue and we have ways around that. The issue is that it's frozen. Once I added the correct cocktail, it woke up, just enough that it allowed ovum that had matured before she died to be released."

"The cells themselves are still dead though, aren't they?" Maxfield asked.

"Yes, which is why I have this." Davenport patted one of her tech toys and said proudly, "With the proper electrical charge, the cells live long enough for the next step to complete. Then, it's all a matter of inserting them back into her body and allowing them to grow. I managed to get three from her that were usable and I froze one of them. We should have her ready for IVF as soon as next week."

IVF? She knew what that meant, but they couldn't be serious? Could they?

Davenport continued speaking, "If this works, she'll first vampire to become pregnant. And if it works on her, who knows what it could do for human women?"

Cold shock froze the blood in her veins and she struggled to focus, to breathe, to think. So this was what Grayson had been trying to protect her from. No wonder he wouldn't even listen to Davenport when she tried to talk to him about it.

As cruel as the man she once called father had been to her, in his own twisted way, he'd loved her, wanted to do what he thought was best for her.

"You know I couldn't have gotten this far without your help. Your understanding of vampire physiology proved invaluable."

Elena closed her eyes and fought back a sob of fear as the urge to dry heave coiled in her stomach. A part of the person who'd abused her so thoroughly growing inside of her? To be violated so intimately, after everything, and now they were going to take this away too?

"They can't be serious!" Enzo hissed. He sat up, eyes blazing with a borderline insane determination. "We've got to get out of here!"

"How? What's your plan?" she asked, defeat radiating from her every pore.

"I-I don't have one," he admitted, deflating.

"And now it's too late."

"I've been here long enough that I should have found a weakness in their system, but I haven't." Enzo's head fell back, hitting the wall behind him as he said, "So I'm just supposed to sit here and let them rape you. You're my friend and I'm failing you, even more than I have before."

He clenched his fist and hit his bed a few times as he exhaled heavily.

"They learned too well how to keep us in." A tear trickled from the corner of her eye.

"Damon and I did that with our little stunt. Now they're doing this to you and I don't know how to get you out."

"And I'll be the father." Maxfield's smug voice filtered through Elena's overwhelmed mind. "How many people can say that, being the father to the first child born of a vampire woman? It's a shame we can't tell everyone about it"

"More importantly, this could provide the answers we need to cure many women's infertility." There was a faint hint of annoyance in Davenport's voice. "And we don't even know if the fetus will be viable because a vampire/human hybrid shouldn't exist. The point is getting her pregnant. Whether she carries to term or not has yet to be seen."

Elena curled in as if to protect her belly from what they wanted to do. No. No No! She couldn't carry Maxfield's child. She just couldn't. The thought of Maxfield's spawn inside her, growing, feeding off her, she hated it, wanted to rip out her reproductive organs to keep that from ever being a possibility.

Too bad being a vampire meant that she'd have to endure that pain for nothing, since everything would just grow back. Knowing them, they'd just do it all over again, as many times as they needed to until she gave up.

Through the fear, a curl of rage started to build. She'd do everything in her power to make sure that it didn't work. Vervain. She'd do something that would force them to inject her. But what? Knowing them, they would hurt Enzo to keep her under control.

"Elena, no matter what happens to me, do what you have to. I can take it. I won't make you take this."

"I won't go through with it," she said resolutely. She drew a shuddering breath. "I can't let anything of Maxfield inside me. I don't care if it's a turkey baster baby, I just can't." Tears flowed freely as she struggled to keep her voice down so she wouldn't draw unwanted attention. "It's a part of him and I can't."

"Right now, it's about doing what you have to do to stay sane," Enzo said gently. "You need to get out of here."

"And what will happen to you? I promised I wouldn't leave you behind."

"Elena. Don't do this for me."

As she worked through how she might go through with preventing this, she realized something. They were going to hurt Enzo, her best friend, her rock, the only reason she still bothered to pretend to hope, if she did anything to jeopardize their plan.

"No matter what I do, they're gonna hurt you, Enzo. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Don't blame yourself, Elena. This my fault. I should have had a plan in place before now. They should never have been able to go this far."

"I guess it doesn't matter anymore." Elena closed her eyes and hid her face with her arm. She wished she had a blanket to cover herself with, to provide some sort of shield.

As young as she'd been when she died, that was what she wanted most once she retired from skating. Her favorite dream of life after the ice to be a wife and mother, with the house surrounded by a picket fence, two children, and a dog. But now, they were taking that dream and turning it into a nightmare.

The only thing she had left was her life, and even that proved to be worth nothing after her death. What was the point anymore? Maybe she should just stay in her head forever and never leave.

Enzo studied the girl he'd come to love like a sister since she'd been thrown into this life. Vampire or not, she was good. Couldn't they see that she was the best sort of person? Even the staunchest haters should be able to see that.

But no. They refused look past their prejudices, to let go of them long enough to see Elena for who she really was. It made him angry, how blind they were to her and he wished he could shake them until they opened their eyes to the sort of person they were destroying.

How could they do this to her? Couldn't they understand what they were doing?

He wished he was strong enough to break them out, but the starvation made him unable to help.

 _If any god still listens to my prayers, please, send someone to save us._


	9. Chapter 9

**WARNING! This chapter contains a scene of sexual assault.**

Just after dawn, two days later, the basement door slammed open and Davenport's heels clicked on the floor as she barreled down the stairs, towards her lab. Since when did she come in wearing heels? She never did that. She was far too professional to wear anything except for lab approved clothing.

"I'll show him. I'll show that smug little bastard what it means to take credit for something I did," Davenport ranted as she stomped around. "I'll show him. I'll show that arrogant, no good, son of a bitch what it means to double cross me. Oh, I'll show him. And I'll use his favorite vampire to do it too."

What was going on? Cold fear gripped the back of Elena's neck. What was Davenport going to do to her? Didn't she still have a few more days before Maxfield's spawn invaded her body?

"Maxfield thinks he can do this to me?" Davenport banged around her lab. "That ass!"

She continued to rant about Maxfield's actions as she worked. So whatever the fallout was, it had to be from something much bigger than a vampire in the basement.

A few hours later, Davenport approached the cells and slapped the wall next to the bars. Vervain perfume invaded the air, leaving Elena feeling lightheaded.

"Get up. We've got work to do," Davenport snapped.

It was time. Davenport was going to insert an alien inside her and force her to incubate it. No. She wasn't ready! Not yet. She still had a few days, didn't she? Davenport never acted impulsively. Everything she did was according to a schedule, no matter what.

Elena felt her heartbeat pick up and she fought to control her breathing. No. No. No!

Somewhere, she was aware of Enzo sitting up with a sharp inhale.

When she didn't move, Davenport reached over and lifted the casing over the button to the sprinkler system.

If she didn't move, Enzo was going to get it. With more effort that should be necessary to make such a move, Elena sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"Get. Up." Davenport's voice cut through the air.

Elena heard the click of the button to the sprinkler system being depressed and after inhaling heavily, she stood up. She had no choice. It was time. Either she let this happen, or Davenport would do whatever it took to punish her, including possibly killing Enzo.

She looked up and stared for a second. What was Davenport doing in a red cocktail dress, full make up, and sky high heels? She'd seriously just come from whatever party or bar she'd been to before deciding to do this, simply throwing her lab protective gear over her evening clothes. Davenport hadn't even bothered to go home to change or shower

The _good doctor's_ eagerness to put whatever it was inside her made Elena's stomach twist. The woman either didn't know that Elena could actually feel, or she didn't care, with the latter being more likely. That woman only cared about her own agenda, her own needs, without a thought for the people around her and what her actions were doing to other people.

Not being able to have a child of her own was no reason for her to experiment on Elena until she found a way to have a child of her own. Plenty of childless women went through life without resorting to such cruelty. Being unable to have children didn't make a woman less than. Why couldn't she see that?

The cell door opened and Elena crossed the room, following Davenport into the lab.

When she entered the room her attention was drawn to a small machine that she had never seen used before as clicked away from its place on the counter top. Inside the machine, there was a shallow dish with some sort of viscous looking liquid in it.

The smell was odd, something she'd never encountered before.

She didn't want to think about what it was, even as her mind attempted to supply her with the answer.

"Take off your pants and lie down."

Elena froze, staring at the table, her breath coming in gasps. She couldn't go through with this. She couldn't. No, please. No!

"Get up there, now," Davenport snapped. She reached towards the button to the sprinkler system.

Elena closed her eyes and did as she was told.

Tears started to build she wanted desperately to escape. The problem with that was the rising sun trapped her inside, and if someone came in to find Davenport injured, who knows what they'd do to them?

She remained stiff, gripping the edges of the table. What could she do? She wanted to stop this. She had to stop this. But what could she do? Davenport was too close to the sprinkler system and the vervain perfume made it difficult to think strategically.

"Don't try anything. The sun is rising and you have nowhere to go," Davenport said, as if sensing her thoughts.

Davenport remained by the sprinkler button until she was sure Elena was compliant. The doctor kept an eye on Elena as she moved around the table, securing her to the table. Every breath, every twitch had Davenport looking at the sprinkler system button.

After she was sure the fastenings were tight, the _good doctor_ forced her legs apart, strapping them down.

No, this couldn't be happening. She still had a few days. She still had time before part of Maxfield took up residence inside her body. Why was Davenport going early? Couldn't she wait just a few more days, like she'd planned?

"Maxfield wants to take full credit for something I helped him on, something he wouldn't have gotten anywhere on without me, a project that would have made sure I got tenure at the university," Davenport ranted as she fiddled around with her machine. "So the first guy I could get to have sex with me is going father this child and Maxfield can go screw himself. His embryo has been destroyed and he's too proud to jerk off again."

It wasn't going to be Maxfield's? The spawn they were putting inside her wasn't connected someone who'd done her so much harm? Since they wouldn't stop until they got what they wanted, she could go through with a non-Maxfield spawn. Couldn't she?

Davenport pulled the microscopic glasses down over her eyes and picked up a long nosed pipette. She squeezed the bulb of the pipette before inserting it into the viscous liquid. Then she moved the tip around before releasing her grip on the bulb, allowing the vacuum to pull some of it inside.

"I'm rushing this a bit, but I don't have time to wait. I just have to hope it takes." Davenport was talking more to herself at this point. "There's no way I'm letting Maxfield have any part of this after that stunt. Women have a hard enough time in my field, without an asshole taking credit for my work."

Davenport walked over to her with the pipette in her hand. Elena squeezed her eyes shut.

As the doctor approached her, Elena felt a tear slipped out from under her lids. Even if she wasn't going to fight this, she still didn't have a choice in the matter. She, the man they were using, even the spawn, they had no choice in how they were being used by them.

As Davenport stepped closer, Elena fought the urge to try to get away. There was no way out. She learned that a long time ago. The straps kept her pinned and unable to move anyway and if she tried to fight, it would just make things worse. Because if this failed, it would be Maxfield's spawn they used next time.

 _This is the lesser of the two evils. He didn't do anything to me. He never hurt me. This will be better._ Elena thought, desperate to convince herself to go through with this. She couldn't do this, she couldn't. But if she didn't, they would try again, and this time it would be with Maxfield's DNA.

What sort of person was she, to allow this to happen? To allow herself to be used like this? How far had she fallen to just lie there and take it?

The pipette was inside her now, an invasion so much more intimate, so much worse than anything they'd ever done to her. Being cut up and ripped apart, that was nothing compared to this, nothing at all. She'd take that first torture session with Grayson a hundred times over this.

"No, please," Elena found herself whimpering. "Please, stop. Don't do this."

"Stop complaining. It'll be over soon," Davenport snapped. "It doesn't even hurt. Besides, after everything, this is what you want to whine about?"

No sooner had the doctor finished speaking that Elena felt something spill inside her.

It was done. She was pregnant. At least she would be if the cells took.

Even as she wished that her vampire nature got in the way of that, she knew such an outcome meant going through this all over again. So as much as she hated the idea of being pregnant with a child conceived like this, she only wanted to go through it once.

Once the _good doctor_ was convinced that the cells were sufficiently inside Elena, she released the ties holding her down and stepped back quickly.

"Get to your cell. And don't bother trying anything stupid."

Elena stood up and shuffled over to the cage. Collapsing onto her bed, she curled in on herself, her arms wrapping tightly around her middle as she finally gave in to the swell of bleak emotions hovering on the edges of her mind.

Nothing mattered now, nothing. There was no way out. She was locked up, and the spawn she carried would be sentenced to her fate.

"I'm so sorry, kid."


	10. Chapter 10

Elena found herself on her knees, vomiting again into the toilet. Once her stomach was emptied, she dragged herself across the floor and braced a shaky hand on her bed before pulling herself up onto it. She collapsed onto it, trembling with exertion.

"Are you okay, kid?" Enzo asked.

"Do I look okay?" Her raspy voice cracked under the strain of speaking. "I can't even keep blood down anymore. What kind of vampire throws up blood?"

"You're desiccating."

Elena stared at the ceiling, focusing on nothing in her effort to ignore her thirst, when something broke through to her. What was that? She tilted her head, trying to pinpoint the origin of the unfamiliar sound. The soft fluttering, coming from… inside her. The spawn. She could hear its heartbeat.

What was she supposed to feel now? She was starving, desiccating and the spawn was going to die soon because her body couldn't support the pregnancy.

It made her sad in a way, that the spawn had no chance of any kind because of the way it came into the world. But with the sadness, there was a small measure of relief. The fetus would soon be dead and Davenport would be forced to accept that Elena couldn't carry a child to term.

Maybe then, things would go back to the way they were before, of them trying to find a cure for vampirism.

Elena curled in on herself, wishing she could just disappear. The _good doctors_ had literally taken everything that was worth anything from her, including this bundle of cells she wasn't sure she wanted. How could she want to bring a child into a world like this? A world where it would be subjected to the whims of a group of people who saw them as less than animals?

She wanted to end the child's suffering before it began, but how? What could she do? There was nothing. She didn't even have anything she could use to end her own life, much less terminate her pregnancy.

No one knew where she was. People were no longer looking for her. She and the fetus were doomed.

Tears leaked from her eyes and she pressed her cheek deeper against the slab to try to hide them.

"Hey, kid. Elena!" Enzo hissed. "Elena!"

She turned to look at him. What was he going on about now?

"Someone's here. Listen."

Elena cocked her head, and sure enough, three strange sets of footsteps walked across the floor above them, then came down the stairs.

"Get the girl," a woman said. "I'll deal everything everything else."

A second later, a tall, dark haired man in a crisply tailored suit appeared in front of her cell. He dropped the arm of his blonde, female companion as he approached the door. His dark eyes scrutinized her carefully, his expression a strange combination of emotions Elena couldn't name.

Who was he? As fast as he moved, he had to be supernatural, but what? Was he a vampire too? But if he was, how did he get inside the house? Wasn't the house owned by a human so that vampires couldn't get inside?

"What the-?" Enzo sat up.

"Is this her?" the man asked his companion, his eyes never leaving Elena's.

His conflicted expression set Elena's teeth on edge and she felt herself tensing, preparing to spring, to try to run, even though she knew she wouldn't be able to get very far in her condition.

"Yes." The woman held out her hands and closed her eyes. "Hold on."

The cell doors shuddered and bent as they swung open.

Perfect, a witch. There was no way she could hope to get away from a witch.

Elijah flashed over to her side and shed his jacket as he sat down beside her. Unbuttoning his sleeve, he rolled it up, exposing the thin skin of his inner wrist, then cradled Elena's head to his chest before holding his bared wrist to her lips.

"Here."

Elena looked at his face, then at his wrist, confused. Since when did vampires offer each other their blood? Wasn't that supposed to be very personal? At least it was what Enzo had told her. So why was he offering her his blood? Her, a stranger?

"You need to drink from me."

"Trust him, Elena. That's Elijah Mikaelson and his sister, Freya," Enzo said. "If he says you need to do something, do it."

"We haven't got much time, so please, drink."

Thirst overrode her reluctance. Elena felt her fangs extend and the veins protrude from around her eyes as his scent entered her nostrils. She was so thirsty that the offer of blood, even another vampire's blood, it had her reacting and fighting the urge to lunge for the offer.

"That's it, sweetheart."

She sank her fangs into his flesh, the first time she'd ever had blood from the vein. Rich, metallic, sweet, and laced with hormones that sent her body buzzing, she moaned as she tightened her grip on his arm, taking longer draws.

"Take as much as you need," Elijah said softly as he held her close, stroking his hand down over her buzzed head. "Drink."

Elena found herself pulling his arm to her chest, drinking deeply. As his blood entered her system, she felt strength returning to her limbs, the ever present thirst finally lessening to something much more manageable. Instead of the nausea she'd experienced for the last three weeks whenever she drank anything, she felt good, strong.

Elijah wrapped her closer, caressing her arms and the flavor of his blood changed as she continued to drink, her body responding to the new hormones in his blood. She ached somewhere low in her belly now, wanting, needing.

"That's it, sweetheart. Drink," Elijah whispered against her skin, the brush of his breath heightening her reaction to his blood.

"I'm afraid the test failed. I'm going to have to alter the algorithms I used and try it again," Davenport's voice floated through the air as the front door opened. "Her illness is a result of a more rigorous hormone regime, nothing to be concerned about. I'll let you know if anything changes."

Elena pulled away from his wrist with a gasp. Davenport was here! The doctor was going to lock up the ones who wanted to save her!

"Relax," Elijah murmured against her temple. "She only knows how to keep younger vampires contained. Also, I don't think she's ever dealt with a witch or a werewolf. Shh."

Elijah ran his hand down her back and Elena sank back into his embrace.

" _In fifty years, we've never managed to capture a female vampire before and I'm not interested in losing the one we have. Either you find a way to stabilize her or we will have no choice but to end your program."_

"I understand." Davenport hung up the phone and headed for her lab.

Elena gripped Elijah's arm, drawing comfort from this stranger's strength.

Suddenly, Davenport gasped, dropping something in shock, and asked, "Who are you?"

"Elijah, Freya, get the girl and let's go," the woman she'd heard speaking earlier called from the lab. "I think I've got everything we need."

"What about Enzo?" Elena whispered as she looked at her friend and then at the man holding her.

"I'll be fine, kid, once I get my daylight ring," Enzo reassured her with a confident smile, then flashed away towards the lab.

Elijah pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the blood off his wrist before scooping Elena up into his arms, cradling her against his chest. With a gasp, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"If we have everything, let's get going," Elijah said before flashing up the stairs and outside.

Elena inhaled, attempting to take it all in. It was the first time in so long that she'd been outside the cage they'd kept her in, being free, it was an overload of all her senses. The leaves twisting in the soft wind, the brush of night breeze against her skin, carrying the scent of summer flowers and college life to her nose, the stars in the night sky. She thought she'd been overwhelmed when she'd transitioned, but it was nothing on this.

"It's okay, focus on me," Elijah said softly. "Breathe and focus on me. Shut everything else out and focus on me."

Elena did as he said, looking up at him, his heartbeat, his scent, the feel of him around her, it drowned everything else out.

"Shh. That's it, sweetheart, focus on me. Breathe. You're safe."

She pressed her face against his throat, allowing him to fill her senses entirely.

"Is she okay?" Enzo asked as he joined them on the front lawn.

"She'll be fine once we get her to New Orleans."

"Take care of her. She's a rare one."

The brush of wind told Elena that Enzo was gone. Would she ever see him again? Did she want to? After what he'd witnessed, she wasn't sure if she was ready to see him again. But forever was a long time. She might change her mind once she healed.

"Freya, Keelin, we need to get going," Elijah said, barely raising his voice.

"One moment," Freya said. "I'm going to set this place on fire before we go."

"No! You can't do that!" Davenport shrieked, her voice echoing from the basement. "What about all my work?"

"It won't matter in a few minutes," Freya said. From the sound of her voice, she was coming up the stairs now. "I don't think your work will matter where you're going."

"You're not serious!" Raw fear entered the _good doctor's_ voice. "She's just a vampire! How can you take her side over a human's?"

"I'm a witch and you used my vampire brother's DNA to father her child and you expect me to side with you."

"That's not possible."

"What? Not possible that you had sex with a vampire? Or that his genetic material worked?" Freya scoffed. "Hers worked. What made you think his wouldn't."

Elena tensed, shrinking away from the man holding her as best she could. He'd slept with Davenport? It was his- his- his-. She couldn't finish the thought. Nausea curled in her stomach.

"If it wasn't for the fact that that child is connected to my family, we would never have known what you were doing, so you only have yourself to blame for it."

Elena couldn't breathe, couldn't think. This man who'd shown her kindness, who'd given her the first blood she'd been able to hold down in over three weeks? He'd slept with Davenport? He'd been intimate with the monster who'd raped her, his cells were what created the life now growing inside her.

Her stomach twisted, but for the first time in two weeks, she found herself unable to throw up.

"I'll have you know that my brother is most displeased with you and your actions against him and this girl."

A few moments later, Freya and a dark skinned woman exited the house. Freya snapped her fingers as she walked down the stairs.

"What did you do?" Davenport cried. "Why can't I get out?"

"In a fight between magic and science, magic always wins," Freya replied. "You tangled with us, you'll get the full force of our rage. Best make your peace with whatever god you pray to because fire is a very painful way to die."

It was then that Elena noticed the smell of smoke coming from the house.

"What?" Davenport pressed against the invisible wall holding her inside the building. "You're going to just leave me to burn?"

"You really should have thought about this before harming Elena the way you did," Freya said over her shoulder.

"You don't understand!" Davenport pleaded. "I was trying to cure infertility and I succeeded."

"You succeeded with someone who didn't want the procedures you performed on her. Now pay for what you've done and hope that your god has more mercy on you than I did."

"Please!"

Davenport's desperate screams felt like a small down payment on all the pain she'd caused.

"No one hurts my family and lives." Freya raised her voice just a little. "Get the girl to the car. We'll be there as soon as this place is beyond saving."

Elijah turned away, striding towards an SUV with darkly tinted windows.

"Elena," she whispered. She was so tired of people ignoring her name, her personhood. "My name is Elena."

"Keelin, would you mind telling Freya that the girl wishes you'd use her name, Elena. Her name is Elena."

"Sure thing," the voice belonging to the woman Elena had not seen yet said, before repeating Elijah's request.

"Breathe, Elena." He cradled her tenderly against his chest as if to protect her.

Opening the door, he set Elena down in the seat before closing the door behind her. A second later, he came around the vehicle and sat down beside her.

Once the door was shut behind him, Elena found herself studying the man.

"Why your blood?"

"Because it's my child. If you want to carry the child to term, you'll need to drink my blood. It's the only thing you'll be able to keep down," Elijah said as he stared at his hands. He looked at her for a long moment before speaking again, "I swear I had no idea what she was doing to you or what she planned to use me to do to you."

Elena bit her lower lip hard as she tried to wrap her mind around what he was saying. To need his blood every day just to bring the child into the world, a child she no longer needed to keep the _good doctors_ from harming her again.

"If you want to end the pregnancy, I won't stop you or allow anyone to retaliate against you," his voice shook and he closed his eyes in effort to hide the effort it took for him to say this. "But if you go through with it, I swear you will be protected for the rest of your life. You'll never have to see us again once the child is born, but we'll be there if you need help."

"You want the- the- it?"

"I- yes. Very much so." Elijah looked at her.

Freya and Keelin opened the doors to the front seats and buckled themselves in.

"Let me think," Elena whispered. "Please."

"Of course."

Elena curled in deeper on herself, wrapping her arms around her middle. Freya put the vehicle into gear and they headed towards the entrance.

As they pulled out onto the main road, explosion rocked their surroundings and Elena sat up, looking around wildly. Her eyes settled on the house that had been her prison for so long. Flames poured from the windows and someone was standing a few yards away, a cell phone to their ear.

"It's nothing you need to worry about," Elijah said, his voice low, possibly in effort to sooth her. "We're very good at covering our tracks."

"Especially with Freya able to manipulate security cameras." Keelin reached across the consul, taking Freya's hand in hers. The darker skinned woman linked their fingers together and brought the witch's hand to her lips.

"Thank you," Freya whispered and exhaled heavily.

"I love you," Keelin replied, "my Viking Witch."

"What year is it?" Elena found herself asking, just to distract her from the tender scene playing out in the front.

"2012," Elijah replied.

"Three years. He kept me locked up for three years."

Jeremy would have graduated high school by now. Hell, he'd be in college, if he chose to go that route. How many more milestones had she missed? How many more was she going to? Then again, she was dead, so what did it matter?

Now that she was free and Davenport was dead, what did it matter if she continued living? She was frozen, forever seventeen, forever unchanging. So what was the point of it all? Did anything matter anymore?


	11. Chapter 11

As the sun rose over the trees, Elena ducked down behind the seat to shield herself from the rays, until she realized that the darkly tinted windows protected her.

Someone tried to speak to her, but she couldn't focus, couldn't think. Everything had changed. The last time she was free, she'd been human and training for the Olympic trials. Now she was a vampire who'd been locked up in a lab for three years and forcibly impregnated with another vampire's spawn.

She could feel her mental sanctuary calling, but her spinning mind made it impossible for her to go there. With all the new stimuli for her brain to try to process, calming her mind down enough to escape would be impossible.

The spawn's heartbeat caught her attention.

She didn't need it anymore to survive, so why go through with it? Why allow it to take anything else from her since it was put in there by someone who viewed her as nothing but a lab rat? It would be ridding herself of her last ties to the nightmare she'd endured.

On the other hand, what if she killed the fetus only to regret it later? What if this was her only chance to have a child? Being a vampire made it impossible to know for sure if she'd be able to get pregnant again.

Besides, having the protection of the most powerful vampire family in the world for all time, that didn't seem like a bad thing.

She needed to calm down and think before she made a decision like this. Preferably somewhere without the father sitting right next to her, his expensive cologne underlain with something uniquely him, invading her nose.

Who knew power had its own scent? She certainly didn't, not until now, but with Elijah's scent surrounding her, filling the car, making it impossible to ignore him. Something about it made her want to bury her nose into his chest and inhale as deeply as she could, filling her lungs with him. He smelt of power and strength and protection.

She looked out the window, watching the trees as they passed them, emptying her mind as much as she could.

"If you're going to be staying with us, I think we should explain a little, so you're not going in completely blind," Freya said, her voice brooking no argument and Elena found herself turning towards the witch.

Freya Mikaelson seemed to be a woman used to giving orders and being in command. Though from what she remembered of Enzo's stories, she had to be like that to help keep her unruly siblings in line. Five headstrong vampires would force anyone to develop a spine of steel.

"We don't think it'd be a good idea for everyone to know this is possible," Freya continued. "My siblings and their partners are the only ones who are aware that Elijah is the father of your child." Keelin squeezed her hand as if reminding her of who her audience consisted of and Freya's voice gentled. "That can change later, if you're willing and ready to talk."

Elena didn't see herself ever wanting to talk about how the spawn came into being. What vampire wanted to admit that a human got the better of her and forced this on her? Even though she woke up and transitioned in that lab, it still made her feel weak and useless to have to admit it.

"You'll have the best care possible. Keelin has medical training and there are few witches who can match me." Freya paused for a moment. "And I've had experience with helping Niklaus's daughter two years ago."

Confusion filled her at hearing that. So Elijah wasn't the only Original brother to have a child? How was that possible? According to Enzo, no vampire should be able to have a child naturally. Unless it was a secret only a select few knew about?

"Because Niklaus is a hybrid, once in a while he's more werewolf than vampire and the ability to father children is one of those times," Elijah explained. "Though Hope is his first and only child so far, due to Freya's spells."

Freya picked up where she left off as soon as Elijah finished, "Along with that, there are psychiatrists among our circle of allies that we can get in touch with if you want us to."

Elena let them talk, let them make their plans. Besides everything she was learning about the Originals, she was struggling to believe that Davenport couldn't hurt her anymore so trying to think of a future about the child she carried was beyond her mental capacities.

How could she plan when she had no longer had any hopes or dreams that she could fulfill. Even the prospect of becoming a mother was tainted with how it happened.

"Elena," Keelin's voice drew her from her thoughts. "This is your life. You can have a say in what happens to you now."

Elena shook her head, unable to find her voice.

How was she supposed to plan when she didn't even know what she wanted anymore? Her dreams before consisted of skating in the Olympics a few times, then falling in love, getting married, and having a few children. And after becoming a vampire, her life consisted of trying to survive and trying not to give up hope Enzo could make a plan to get them out of their prison.

"I'd imagine you're pretty overwhelmed right now," the werewolf continued. "It's gonna take a while to adjust to being free, but we're here to help you through it, however we can."

"You're not a prisoner, Elena," Freya interjected. "We're trying to create a safe place for you to recover."

"Why?" She could hardly hear her own whisper, so it surprised her that Elijah turned his head when she spoke.

"Why what?"

"Why help me?"

"You're carrying my child." Elijah reached one hand towards her, but Elena flinched away from him. His brow furrowed and he folded his hands near his knees. "That makes you a part of this family now and I will protect you, always. You have my word on that."

A part of her wanted to believe him, to accept that he meant what he said and he would carry through with his promise. But the betrayal she'd suffered at the hands of her father made her unable to know for sure if she could trust or believe this ancient man.

He wanted this child, a child he probably gave up on having centuries ago. Why wouldn't he just lock her up and keep her where he could make sure the child survived until its birth? He could do it, so easily. He didn't even have to bring his witch sister in to control her. He could do it all by himself.

He had centuries to her few years and the whole time she was a vampire, she'd been locked up. As much experience as he had, how could she know for sure if he wasn't trying to manipulate her into getting what he wanted.

"You're afraid, I know you are, but I promise you, as much as I want this child, it's your decision. And no matter what, no matter how difficult I might find whatever choice you make, I will help you."

Elena leaned back in her seat, staring out the window. For being the first day of seeing the outdoors, she struggled to enjoy what she was seeing. How could she, when she had too much to think about, too much to consider to focus on what she was seeing?

Could she trust him? Could she believe that he would stand aside if she did choose to terminate the pregnancy? Enzo called him honorable and a man of his word. Surely, with that reputation, she might be able to take him at his word. And the Mikaelsons weren't the worst allies to have.

Another thing, from what she'd heard Freya say, the only way they found her was because of the spawn and its connection to the Mikaelsons. So, in a strange way she owed her release to it. What sort of person killed the one who was responsible for her freedom? She could take a few months of carrying this- this baby as a sort of payment, to give it a chance to live.

Elena found herself unable to resist stretching out a little on the bench, relishing in the feeling of softness beneath her for the first time in three years. Elijah said nothing when she accidentally pressed her foot against his leg, though he placed his hand on her foot, rubbing his thumb softly against her skin.

Elena jerked away.

After a few minutes of making sure he wasn't going to try to touch her again, Elena peered at him from beneath her lashes. As she studied him, Elena was forced to admit that with his sharp features and dark eyes, Elijah Mikaelson was a good looking man. So at least the child had a chance of being attractive, if she went through with the pregnancy.

He stared out the window, ignoring her now and that suited her. She wanted to be left alone. Even though she wasn't completely alone in the vehicle, at least they weren't bothering her or talking anymore.

No mention of her impending motherhood-

Her mother! She didn't get a chance to see her mother's grave before she left. She should have asked. What sort of daughter was she, to forget that her mother lay dead in the cemetery just up the road from where she was?

And Jeremy. What happened to Jeremy and her aunt? Shouldn't she have thought to ask to drive by the house and make sure they were okay? He was her little brother and he'd suffered through so much loss in his young life, he should have been at the top of the list of things to focus on as soon as she breathed fresh air. Some sister and niece she was, forgetting her surviving family like that.

Tears burned behind her eyes and her throat tightened. Loss after loss, that was the story of her life for the past three years. Loss of her life, of her hopes and dreams, her humanity, and so much more. Things that she would never get back, no matter how hard she tried.

But she swallowed back her emotions and emptied her mind, though not to the point where she was able to get to her sanctuary.

At one point she must have drifted off, because she woke up to find someone shaking her leg gently.

"Don't!" Elena jerked away, curling in deeper on herself. She looked around, trying to figure out what happened, who'd touched her. Her gaze finally settled on Elijah and it all came back to her, what had happened and where she was.

"You were screaming," he said softly, "calling for your mother."

Shame filled her at the Mikaelsons witnessing her in such a state. What kind of a vampire suffered from night terrors? Only a weak one who couldn't hold their own in the world of the supernatural, that's who.

At this point, they were probably thinking that she was no one they'd want to help, at least not unless she carried the spawn to term. She had no allies, except for Enzo and he wasn't someone she could be around after all she'd been through with him. Besides, his list of allies might have gotten thinned out in the sixty years since he was locked up.

She had no idea what it meant to be a vampire, except what Enzo told her, and she was a child in this land of monsters. To get them to remain willing to help her meant going through the pregnancy. Maybe that way she might actually be able to make something of herself.

Could she do it though? Could she carry the evidence of what happened to her in that lab for another eight months? But what was eight months compared to centuries with what they could teach her? She couldn't decide now. She had to think. To remember what it meant to be free, or as free as she could be considering the circumstances.

"You're among friends, Elena," Freya said. "You're not the only one who sees terrible things when you close your eyes."

Keelin squeezed Freya's hand and brushed her thumb softly over the back of her hand.

"They get easier to deal with, given time and being around the right people," Freya added with a tender smile at Keelin. "You don't live as long as my family has without incurring a few traumatic events to haunt you."

Elena blinked slowly and stared at the ceiling above her, allowing the tires on the road beneath her to lull her into a state of relaxation, a way to rest without risking screaming in her sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

By the time they passed the Welcome to New Orleans sign, late afternoon shadows crawled up the walls. Elena stared out the window, but she couldn't process what she was seeing. Some part of her was aware that the city was beautiful and that she should enjoy being in a place she'd only ever seen in pictures and movies, but she couldn't. Her brain just couldn't let anything in.

Freya pulled into a parking garage and turned off the engine before everyone except for Elena opened their car doors and climbed out.

Elijah came around the car and scooped Elena into his arms.

"I told Klaus to clear the compound," Freya said as she locked the vehicle. "And Rebekah should have her room ready."

"Thank you, Freya." Elijah walked quickly into the house, careful to avoid the patches of sunlight.

He climbed a flight of stairs, then headed down the hall. Pausing, he opened a door and set her on her feet.

Elena wrapped her arms around her middle and stared at the floor. For lack of anything better to do, she studied the way the thick, soft carpet fibers curled around her toes.

"This is your room." Elijah stepped back a little, then crossed the room, opening a door on the far wall. "It looks like Rebekah carried through on her promise to purchase some clothing for you. Is it acceptable? If anything is not to your taste, we can adjust it."

Elena glanced around the room. The rich, dark furnishings with its wide, curtained window cocooned her in safety and softness, something that had been absent from her life for the last few years.

"If you want to take a shower, I believe Rebekah also procured some bathing supplies." Elijah waved towards another door then pursed his lips for a moment. "Once you've done that, I'll be back for you to feed."

Elena nodded once and there was a brush of wind as he left the room.

Once she closed the door behind her, she turned the water on as hot as she could get it then tore her clothes off, desperately needing to scrub away whatever she could of the lab. She stepped under the spray and fell to her knees, a keening sound she didn't know she was capable of ripping from her throat.

Elena curled up, letting the water beat down on her, mixing with her tears.

The betrayal she'd suffered at the hands of her father, and the cruelty she'd endured as a result of him being unable to see that she still lived, she found herself unable to ignore her feelings. She wasn't trying make it through her captivity anymore and the pain she'd been hiding from for so long finally overwhelmed her control. So lost was she in her grief that she no longer cared who knew she was hurting.

She wasn't sure how long she remained under the spray, but finally, the water turned cold and still, she couldn't stand, her sobs still ripping through her weary body.

Someone turned off the water and scooped her up, wrapping her in a fluffy towel, but she still couldn't stop crying. Her caregiver pulled a soft, oversized t-shirt over her head and then she found her face pressed against a broad chest and her body cradled in strong arms. Unable to resist, she wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her over to the bed.

He said nothing as he held her, just rubbed her back and held her close as she cried.

Finally, her sobs subsided into hiccups and then nothing except shuddering breaths

Elijah carefully let go of her and shifted so that he was sitting beside her.

Shudders passed through her petite frame and Elena wrapped her arms around her knees in effort to suppress them as she stared at the dusty purple bedspread.

"You need to feed."

"Why?" Elena hissed through her teeth, wildfire fury ripping through her. "So your spawn doesn't die? Let it, for all I care, the damn parasite."

Elijah inhaled sharply as his face closed off and he straightened, though he remained seated.

"I just, I didn't want this," Elena whispered, suddenly contrite as her words registered in her mind. "I mean, I wanted a family, one day, but not like this."

Why was she so cruel to him? He hadn't done anything to her. In a way, he was as innocent, as much victim as she was. What happened to the thoughts she'd had about the father of the spawn before she'd met him? Was it because she finally had a face to go with the DNA, a person to blame for her present condition, as irrational as that was?

"Yeah, when I was human, I- I wanted kids.." She drew a shuddering breath as she struggled to find the words to soften the verbal blows she'd dealt him. "I didn't have a choice. In any of it. They threatened Enzo because they knew I couldn't bear it if something happened to him. That's why I didn't fight back."

"You have a choice now."

"How can I believe that one of the oldest vampires in the world really would stand aside and let me get rid of the thing if I choose to?" She shook her head and scoffed. Tears burned her eyes and she sniffed them back.

Elijah stood and walked over to the window, opening the curtain just enough so he could see out.

"I'm going to take your words as a result of you still trying to adjust to being freed. I know I've already said this, but as much as I want this child," he paused, swallowing thickly. The next words came out as if he found them poison, "I will not force you to carry it."

"Why?" Elena choked back a sob. Tears formed and spilled down her cheeks once more. "What would make you let me get rid of it if I wanted to?"

"It's your body, so even though it would hurt to lose this child, in the end, it's you're choice." He lowered his head. "To have a child, to tell that child that their mother hates them and me, I can't do that."

Elena's ears pricked and she found herself looking up at him almost involuntarily.

"My father, he was incredibly cruel, and all the love our mother gave us couldn't make up for that." He turned around to face her, his face open, vulnerable. "As a young man, I swore I would never allow any child of mine to know what it felt like, no matter what, no matter how much it hurt me."

Elena felt her throat tighten at the raw emotion in his eyes and she wished she could take his pain away.

"I haven't decided yet," she found herself saying. "what I'm going to do about the- the- it. I just, I don't know. I just don't want to do something I'll end up regretting, so I need to think."

"Of course. You still have time." Elijah approached her slowly, unbuttoning his sleeve as he approached. "Until you make your decision, you'll still need to feed from me though," he sat down and offered her his wrist, "if you'll let me."

Elena looked at him, searching his face for a sign of a lie, but found none. She hoped against hope that he wasn't using his thousand years of life to hide an ulterior motive because she wanted to believe him, wanted to hope that for the first time in so long, someone wasn't using her for what she could give them.

Finally, her thirst overcame her trepidation and took his hand in both of hers, lifting it to her mouth. Her fangs extended and she allowed herself to get lost in his blood entering her system.

Elijah exhaled in a soft sigh and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.

Now, without the fear of someone hurting her, she found herself able to enjoy the way it made her feel, the strength flowing through her veins. Metallic yet delicious blood flowed from the wound, filling her belly and satiating her thirst. How long would it take for her to become used to being able to feed whenever she was thirsty? And that one of the most powerful vampires in the world would let her take his blood?

"Niklaus and the others will be returning within the next few days," Elijah said. "My siblings are all very eager to meet you, especially Rebekah. I'm sure you can understand why, all things considered."

Elena couldn't stop drinking long enough to reply, though she tensed.

"Freya warned her that certain topics are off limits." Elijah rubbed her back gently. "She'll obey Freya." He laughed, but it sounded forced. "We all do. You'll be safe, I swear it."

Finally, she released her grip on his wrist, licking the blood off her lips. She glanced up at him, searching his face quickly for any sign of dark emotions, before lowering her eyes once more.

"Don't you and your family have more important things to do than take care of me?"

"Nothing that can't be put on hold for a bit or dealt with elsewhere. We don't need to conduct everything here." He brushed his fingers along her cheek. "We'll start bringing things back over the course of the next several weeks, once you've adjusted a bit. No one except for family comes into this wing without permission. And now that you're here, that rule will be enforced on pain of death."

"Death?" Elena jerked back, her gaze flickering up to his before looking down once more. "You'd kill someone just for going into a part of the house?"

"You're carrying my child. That makes you a Mikaelson and we will protect you as long as you live."

Elena chewed on the inside of her cheek. She wished she could ask all the questions rattling around in her mind, but after snapping at Elijah the way she had earlier, she wasn't sure if he wanted to hear them.

Not only that, but she wasn't sure what she was thinking either since she was still trying to process the sudden changes in her life. Mattering to the oldest vampires in existence after being locked up for three years at the mercy of humans was a heady thing.

"How did you find me exactly? No one knew I was there."

"This child's conception, it caused quite a disturbance among the spirits of nature, which triggered Freya's visions of you."

"So I really do owe my freedom to- to it."

"That's one way of looking at it, I suppose."

"If you found out about me, what they were doing to me, and there was no- no- no-" she placed her hands on her stomach, "this, would you have still tried to help me?"

Elijah cocked his head, considering. "I would have sent someone to get you out instead of coming myself, but no, I wouldn't have left you there."

"Why?" Elena wanted to believe him, ached to take him at his word, but she found herself still doubting him.

"I promise you, Elena, I don't condone unnecessary suffering." He leaned forward, forcing her to look him in the eye. "You did nothing to deserve what happened to you and I would have made sure someone helped you. That and humans knowing so much about our kind doesn't sit well with us."

Elena wrapped her arms around herself more tightly and stared at the floor. How much different would her life have been if her only concerns were about preparing for the Olympic trials and possibly falling in love? How much happier would she have been if she had no idea how cruel Grayson truly was? Being ignorant to the supernatural would have made everything so much better.

"What are you thinking?"

"That I wish I hadn't died. Things would be so much easier if I hadn't," she sighed and leaned back against the headboard. "I miss skating. I used to skate every day for hours. I was good you know, really good."

"I know." His lips curled up in a kind smile. "I followed your career the moment you stepped foot on the national stage, but the why is a story for another time. Though I promise that it's nothing nefarious."

"You promise you'll tell me?" She found herself yawning, exhaustion claiming her. The soft bed beneath her beckoned her towards sleep. "You won't keep things from me if I ask?"

"I swear it. Now, if you need anything, we'll be around and we'll hear you." Elijah stood up and headed towards the door. Before leaving the room, he half turned towards her. "I don't want you to be afraid of me. No matter what you choose, you have nothing to fear from me."

Her heart ached to trust him, to surrender to the will of the powerful man. But the abuse she'd suffered kept the walls up and she curled in on herself once more.


	13. Chapter 13

How long she slept, she wasn't sure, except that she knew more than a few hours passed since she'd closed her eyes. She listened for a moment, but after hearing no one in the house, she climbed out of bed and headed towards the shower.

This time, she was able to shut off her mind enough to enjoy the shower. Water poured down her body, rinsing away the final remnants of her break down from the night before.

Once she was cleaned to her satisfaction, she turned off the water and wrapped herself in a fluffy towel. She rifled through her closet and pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. At least Rebekah picked clothing she was most comfortable wearing.

It made her more than a little bit uncomfortable though, how they knew what her clothing preferences were. They would have had to dig through a lot of her life to figure out what she was most comfortable in since all of her public appearances were in cute dresses and skating outfits.

Just how much did they know about her and why did she get the feeling that they knew more about herself than she did?

After dressing, Elena curled back up in her bed, pulling the blankets around her shoulders. She had no desire to leave her bedroom or get out of bed now. Her energy was depleted much more quickly than ever before.

Someone knocked on the door.

She wanted to say something, but the words died before they reached her tongue.

"Elena, may I come in?" Elijah asked.

She needed to say something, didn't she?

"Elena?"

"Sure," she whispered.

He entered the room and approached her slowly. Sitting down beside her, he ran his hand over the top of her head.

"How are you feeling?"

She ducked her head deeper beneath the blankets.

"Do you need blood? You must be thirsty"

At the mention of her thirst, Elena peeked out from under the covers, the veins beneath her eyes writhing. Was this to be her fate, a slave to her need for blood, no matter how she felt?

Elijah's lips curled up into a gentle smile as he bared his wrist and held it out to her. Glancing up at Elijah's face, Elena took his hand in hers and bit down on his wrist. He sighed softly before pulling her close to his chest, his breath warm against her temple.

Warmth flooded her body, filling her with euphoria. She found herself moaning in response to the pleasure coursing through her, so lost in the moment, she felt a euphoria she hadn't experienced since the last time she left the ice as a human.

Though somewhere through the haze of blood lust, the intimacy of the moment sent heat coiling through her belly. As she continued to drink, she realized that Elijah was affected, almost as much as she was, and with his free hand, he caressed her, tracing patterns over her back and Elena thought she felt him tremble. But she couldn't focus on his reaction too closely when her own senses were so fully overwhelmed.

Finally, her protesting stomach forced her to accept that she couldn't drink anymore. With great reluctance, she retracted her fangs, licking away the blood on his wrist that had dripped from the wound before letting go of his arm.

Elijah pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed around her mouth, his touch gentle.

After a few moments, the high of Elijah's blood faded, taking the good feelings with it, and she curled back under the blankets.

He pursed his lips for a moment, as if considering something, then reached into his pocket and pulled a small object out. As he moved to set it on the nearby bedside table, Elena realized it was a ring with a blue stone.

"I asked Freya to create a daylight ring for you, if you want it."

Elena buried herself deeper into the bed. She had no desire to face the sun, not yet. Let the darkness embrace her, shield her from the reality that the light would reveal. Hidden in the dark, without the temptation of blood, she could pretend she was human and that the last three years had been nothing but a terrible dream.

"When you're ready." He patted her leg and stood up. "I'll be back later."

Elena closed her eyes and tuned out the world for a while. If she'd been able to care, she would have been surprised to find that she could no longer disappear into her secret world. But her lack of energy proved too much.

She heard voices from somewhere in the house, but she couldn't make herself tune into the conversation, her mind suddenly taking her back to the table in the lab. How many times would she be forced to relive what happened?

She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, trying to force all thoughts from her head, not even allowing her mental ice skating rink in. That no longer provided the comfort that it did before. All going there in her mind did was remind her of the lab.

How much more would the lab take from her before it was over? She wasn't there anymore and yet she was still suffering the consequences of what they did to her and that didn't even include the pregnancy itself.

If she cared to think about it, she would marvel at the difference three years brought. She used to be a people person. Being surrounded by others, the crowds she performed in front of, used to fuel her, give her energy, give her life. Now, having anyone around left her feeling strained and she couldn't be left alone soon enough.

The girl she used to be wouldn't recognize who she was now. That girl was a fighter, someone who refused to give up, who skated through pain. But that girl had dreams too, a future. She was supposed to go to the Olympics, possibly win, then maybe fall in love, compete again, get engaged, and get married, not drink blood and be a teenager for all eternity, while being a mother to a child conceived in horror.

Her mind kept going on a loop, unable to break out of the cycle of her thoughts. Some part of her wanted to get out of the rut her thoughts had formed in her mind, but what else was there? What else could she think about that might free her from this quicksand?

Elena curled up, pushing her thoughts as far away from the forefront of her mind as possible. There was no pain anymore as she floated in this sea of oblivion. Here, in this nothingness, it was as close to peace as she'd experienced in years.

It was too bad that she knew she was only fooling herself, feeling nothing wasn't the same as peace, only she couldn't bring herself to care. Time had no meaning here, just the nothingness and despair so complete she couldn't think to try to make it stop.

She missed Elijah opening the door to check in on her, his face contorting with worry, and drifted into sleep.

"How is she?" Freya didn't look up from the spell she was working on.

"She's suffering from depression, if I had to hazard a guess," Elijah replied.

"After everything she's been through, and still dealing with, I can't say I'm surprised," Keelin commented as she entered the room, a bowl of water in her hands. She walked over to Freya and set the bowl on the table.

Without seeming to be aware of what she was doing, Freya brushed her fingers along Keelin's arm as the werewolf stepped back.

"You think carrying the child makes things worse for her?" Elijah turned to look at her. The thought of her being negatively affected by the presence of his child in her womb twisted at his heart.

"Honestly? Yes, I do." Keelin sighed. "All we can do is let it be her choice whether or not she continues to carry the child. It will make things easier for her, if she's more in control of her life."

"What can I do?" He held out his hands. "There must be something I can do to alleviate her suffering."

"Just be there for her." Freya lifted a small sprig of herbs and broke off a branch. "I know you want to help her, but forcing her to do something that may be good for her when she's not ready for it will only harm her in the end."

She found herself strapped down on the lab table, unable to move. Davenport stood in the corner, watching, with a sadistic smile on her face, as Maxfield knelt above her. No. NO! She couldn't let this happen. She couldn't! After everything they took from her, they couldn't take this too. Please! Someone help! NO! No, she could save herself. Enzo wasn't there, so she had nothing to lose now. They couldn't get away with this.

Gathering every ounce of strength she had, she managed to break one hand free and desperately, she tried to escape, attempting to claw at his face and eyes, but she was no match for his strength. She screamed, even though she knew it would do nothing except further his enjoyment of the pain he was causing her.

"Elena!"

Wait. That wasn't Maxfield's voice. Maxfield brought pain and reveled in the fear he caused.

She knew the voice though. It never brought danger. This voice meant safety. Didn't it? Somewhere in her mind, she thought it might mean that, but she wasn't sure. The fear from her dream made it difficult to think.

"Elena, wake up!"

Elijah. It was Elijah's voice. That's how she knew it. Yes, he was safe. He rescued her from the lab and now he protected her. He was her friend.

"Elena, come back to me."

She blinked as the haze of fear finally left her mind and found herself in her bedroom in New Orleans. It was a dream. Nothing more than a horrible dream. Looking back at Elijah, she realized that healing scratch marks littered his face and buttons were missing from his shirt. He'd been the one she'd attacked.

Guilt ate through the fear. Everyone she came into contact with anymore got hurt.

"Elena." He traced the backs of his fingers down her cheek. "You're safe."

Once she got her breathing under control, Elena lay back down and curled in on herself, tucking the blankets under her chin.

"They can't hurt you here. You're safe."

Elena glanced up at him and then looked back at the wall beyond his shoulder. She struggled to swallow and closed her eyes as shame filled her. Yet again, Elijah had to wake her up from another nightmare. Just how many times did he have to see her in such a state, to witness the aftermath of what she'd suffered at the hands of humans?

"One day they will have no power over you and even your mind will be free of them."

Tears stung her eyes and she blinked hard. She wished she could believe that, but how could she? Maxfield was still out there, along with the people who ordered the torture and everything else to be done to her.

"Do you want me to stay? Or would you rather that I left?"

"You- you can stay."

"I have to go for a minute, but I'll be back." He chuckled once as he tugged on the collar of his ruined shirt. "You did quite a number on my clothes."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He straightened. "We've all struggled from time to time with the horrors we've experienced."

Elena found herself looking up at him, meeting his eyes for a moment, before looking away once more. The intensity in his eyes unsettled her and attempting to process it touched a part of her emotions that made her uncomfortable.

"You're not alone, Elena." Elijah leaned closer to her, cradling her cheek in his hand, but didn't force her to move her head. "You're not alone."

"You keep saying that, but you have no idea what I'm dealing with."

"You're not the only one Davenport hurt."

Elena looked at him sharply.

"How do you think I felt, finding out what she'd done." He raked his hand through her hair, his expression tortured. "She forced me to participate in a rape that I had no way of knowing was happening and wouldn't have allowed to occur had I known."

Elena's breath caught in her throat, hearing him describe it in such a horrifying way.

"When Freya told me, I nearly choked her out for lying." He made a strangled sound as he leaped to his feet. "I've never forced anyone into my bed. Sex has always been about mutual pleasure and want." He closed his eyes and drew a few deep breaths. "Then she did what she did and suddenly, my honor, my very self was called into question."

Witnessing his pain over what happened to her, to them both, threw everything she thought she knew on its head.

"So yes, Elena." He turned to face her once more. "You're not alone. No, I didn't have to endure what you did at her hands, but never, for one second think you're alone in this."


	14. Chapter 14

When she opened her eyes some time later, she found Elijah sitting beside her bed. His suit jacket was draped over the back of the chair and his shirt sleeves were rolled up halfway to his elbows. Right. Her one and only source for blood so long as she was carrying his spawn.

Holding one arm up near her face, he said, "Here, you must be thirsty."

Elena shifted and grabbed his offered arm. She inhaled deeply before biting down, allowing his blood to fill her mouth. That same sense of euphoria that she'd come to associate with drinking Elijah's blood flooded her system.

While she drank, Elijah ran his hand over her head, her short hair no longer the fuzz it had been for so long.

As she drank, she realized something, he seemed to take every chance that came up to touch her. Before his confession, she might have complained, but now she understood why. He was attempting to convince himself that he was just as honorable as he'd always been and he wasn't responsible for Davenport's actions against them both.

Finally, her thirst was sated and she released her grip on his wrist.

"I know you have trouble believing me and believing in me, but I just want to help you, no matter what the outcome." He swallowed, suddenly hesitant. "This child is a gift that I can never repay and I swear I will do all I can to help you, should you decide to go through with it."

"'Never repay,'" Elena quoted slowly. "What do you mean? Can't they use the information from the lab to recreate this?"

"We don't think so." Elijah shook his head. "Freya consulted with the dead witches-"

"Contacting the dead, of course. Why not?" Elena interrupted, then bit her lip when she realized that she'd cut him off.

"I have so much to show you, to teach you, about the supernatural." He smiled softly at her before turning his attention back to her stomach. "As it so happens, one of those witches she contacted was the one who created us, our mother." Elijah shook his head as if trying to understand what he'd learned. "This child is an anomaly. The stars and Davenport's actions aligned in a way my mother never planned and now this baby, the offspring of two vampires, exists."

Elena stared at the ceiling for a long moment before turning to search his face for any sign of deceit, but found none. This truly was his one shot at fatherhood and he was willing to give that up if it was what she wanted.

Maybe it was her desperate need to have someone firmly in her corner, or maybe it was the fragile hope in his eyes. Whatever the reason, the words slipped out before she was aware she was even thinking them

"I'll do it."

He froze, staring at her,

"I'll carry the- the," she swallowed, trying to find a word to use, "it to term."

A shockingly boyish smile broke across his face and he relaxed visibly.

"Don't expect me to bond with the- with it, but I can promise to try to learn not to hate it before it's born."

"Thank you," he said fervently as he reached towards her stomach, but caught himself before making contact with her. "May I?"

After a moment of consideration, Elena nodded. He was the one parent guaranteed to love the child, so why not let them bond before the birth?

Slowly, he placed his hand on her lower belly, rubbing his thumb over the place where his child grew, his expression soft.

"I gave up on this dream so long ago. I thought it would be forever denied me. Yet now, I can hear her heartbeat. My child." He smiled again, glancing up at her face for a moment. "To say those words, it feels like a dream to wonderful to be real."

Elena found herself studying him, taking him in as she tried to wrap her mind around the contradiction that was this vampire. For being one of the strongest beings in existence, he was oddly tender towards her.

"What is it?" he asked softly.

She shook her head. "I don't know if I can find the words."

"Take a deep breath and say what comes to mind."

"It's just so strange, you, me, all of this." She looked down at her still flat stomach, where his hand rested over the spawn inside her. A baby fathered by a man who could protect her, her fondest dream all twisted up. She inhaled shakily and blinked quickly.

Her father. If he hadn't made the choices that he had towards her, this would have never happened to her. It was all his fault. He was the one responsible for it all.

"Elena?" He cradled her cheek in his free hand. "Tell me."

"Grayson. He locked me up and brought those- those _people_ into my life." Her hand went to her mouth and she sobbed. Gesturing to her stomach, she added, "He may as well have been the one to do this."

Elijah moved to sit down beside her and tugged her against his chest. She attempted to fight back her tears, but to no avail.

Some part of her still wanted to hate him. But she couldn't, not after everything.

"And now I can't stop crying."

"Considering the circumstances, it's completely understandable." He moved again so that he was leaning against the headboard with Elena cradled against him, her head tucked under his chin. "Don't hold back, lovely Elena. Let it all out."

Elena dug her fingers into Elijah's shirt and pressed herself as close to him as she could while Elijah tightened his hold on her.

"Why? Why did he do this to me?" Elena wailed, the sobs shaking her entire body. "What did I do? Was I that awful of a daughter for him to forget that he cared about me?"

"No, no, Elena, it wasn't anything you did."

It felt odd, allowing herself to take comfort from the man who, unwittingly, donated the genetic material that created the spawn, but in this moment, they needed each other. Their shared pain, their shared shame.

"He did this, Elena. This is all on him. It wasn't your fault. None of this was your fault."

"Why did he do it though?" She whispered. "Do you think he ever loved me?"

Elijah remained silent for a long moment, considering, before he replied, "Sometimes, people allow their beliefs to become their entire identity and no one, not even their own children, can dissuade them."

"So he cared about his beliefs more than he cared about me." She squeezed her eyes shut as more tears fell. The words twisted in her chest like a hot knife.

"He was too blind, too narrow-minded to see the truth, that his beliefs were borne of fear and ignorance. Because otherwise, he would have seen that you were still his daughter, only a vampire now and that's on him," Elijah murmured against her hair. "That's all on him, not you. You did nothing wrong. I promise you, you did nothing wrong."

He rolled them so that they were lying across the bed, with her tucked against him. Elena felt him kick his shoes off before he pulled her even closer and she pressed her nose deeper against his throat, inhaling his scent.

How could she explain just how safe she felt in his embrace, without coming across as being desperate? So she held her tongue, but reveled in feeling secure for the first time in so long. Though it was the spawn that made him care about her, still, his gentleness was focused on her so she'd take what she could get. If that made her pathetic, than pathetic she would be. Being held like this made the pain battering at her mind more bearable.

Someone knocked on the door, interrupting her thoughts.

"Leave us be," Elijah murmured.

"The others want to know when they can move back in," Freya said from the other side of the door.

Elijah studied Elena's face for a long moment before replying, "As long as they can keep their fights to a minimum, I don't think their returning should be a problem."

"I'll make sure they behave themselves."

"Anyone who can't will be neutralized for the duration of Elena's pregnancy. And that includes Niklaus." His tone took a darker edge. "I'm sure Kol would be more than happy to bring that golden dagger of his out of hiding."

"I kicked your family out of their home?" Elena lifted her head, but Elijah tugged her back down.

"They simply relocated for a few days." His chuckle rumbled beneath her ear. "We have enough properties around town that they weren't homeless."

The overpowering pain finally faded into the back of her mind and she sat up, suddenly feeling awkward. What had come over her, draping herself all over him like that? For all she knew, well, if he did have someone else, he probably wouldn't have slept with Davenport in the first place. But still. She wasn't the sort of person who was comfortable getting so cozy with someone she barely knew.

"Are you alright?"

Elena shrugged and looked at her hands. How could she explain what she was feeling when she didn't even understand it herself? Could she find the words that would make sense? She didn't think so.

"Tell me when you're ready." He brushed his fingertips down her cheek.

Strange voices from downstairs caught her attention and Elena curled in on herself, her hands wrapping around her stomach as if to try to protect the spawn from any threats. Here she was, just now deciding that she was going to go through with the pregnancy and she was already determined to keep it safe.

"It's okay." He reached towards her again, but Elena flinched away.

As much as she craved affection, it got too much sometimes and her skin started to burn from over-stimulation. How could kindness feel like pain, like torture? Were her nerves so raw that she couldn't tolerate anything for longer than a few minutes? When would the pain end? When could she accept touch for more than a few minutes before it became too much?

"It's just my siblings." He smiled affectionately. "You'll get used to them after a while."

"No-no one else?" She swallowed and looked around, a part of her expecting someone to jump out of the shadows. "What about the people you have to deal with?"

"While my siblings are back home, we're still keeping everyone else away."

Shame filled her once more and she pressed her face into her pillow. Why was she all over the place, emotionally speaking? It was as though she didn't know what she wanted anymore and her mind was pulling her into twenty different directions.

"Elena?" Elijah leaned over her, trying to catch her eye, but she refused to look at him. "If you're worried about them bothering you, yesterday Freya cast a spell around your room to keep anyone out that you don't need in here. Your safety is my priority."

"Promise?" Elena felt foolish asking that question, but she needed the reassurance that he still planned to protect her. He valued his family and at the end of the day, she was little more than an interloper, who carried a few cells that might become his child inside her.

"I give you my word I will keep you safe and my family will abide by my wishes in regards to you."

"Elijah!" a man called from downstairs. "If you're quite finished copping a feel with you're baby mama, we'd like it very much if you were to join us!"

"Niklaus, you prove, once again, that manners are beneath you." Elijah stood up and straightened his clothing. "If you need anything, don't be afraid to call for me."

With a final glance over his shoulder, he left the room.


	15. Chapter 15

Elijah sighed, his breath caressing her neck and pressed his cheek against her skin as Elena moaned, pulling his wrist tighter against her mouth. Warmth pooled low in her belly and she tugged his other arm around her more securely.

God, would she ever get enough of him? He filled her senses so completely when she drank his blood that she felt physically connected to him. When she was like this, touch was no longer painful. As long as she was focused on the blood, she could enjoy the brush of his skin against hers.

If she drank enough of his blood, would she be able to enjoy touch once more, even when she no longer needed to drink from him? Maybe she could become familiar enough with Elijah's touch while drinking his blood that she could allow it longer afterwards.

Once her thirst was sated, she released her hold on his wrist.

Elijah took out his handkerchief and cleaned his wrist, and Elena suddenly fascinated with his hands, long and strong, powerful yet graceful. Before she realized what he was doing, he pressed the cloth against her lower lip, carefully swiping the blood away, his knuckles brushing against her skin with every movement of his hand.

"Elena," Keelin called from down stairs, drawing her attention away from Elijah. "Would you like to join us for breakfast? To at least sit with us? It'll be ready in a few minutes if you're interested."

Elena glanced at Elijah, suddenly nervous, and he smiled encouragingly.

"I'll be right beside you and if you need to leave, let me know and I'll help you get back to your room." He gripped her elbow.

"Okay. Let me get changed." Elena climbed off the bed and walked over to her closet.

Pulling out a dark plum sweater and jeans, along with some underclothes, she headed for the bathroom.

She showered quickly, her shaking as her nerves made her feel like she was about to jump out of her skin. This was the first time she was going to be around any of the other occupants of the house since arriving.

After climbing out of the shower and dressing, she stared at her reflection in the mirror over the sink. If she was going to be meeting the rest of the Originals, she needed to look presentable. Fortunately, Rebekah had purchased makeup for her, somehow matching her skin tone accurately.

Even though she no longer needed lotion or foundation, it felt good to be able to rub it into her skin, something of her former life that she could reclaim.

Elijah knocked on the door.

"Come in," Elena called and he opened the door. "I'll be ready in a minute."

She opened a soft brown eye shadow and swirled a brush into it. Tapping off the excess, she applied it carefully to one lid.

He leaned against the door frame, watching her.

"What is it?" She caught his gaze in the mirror.

"Nothing." He smiled and slid his right hand into his pocket to make himself more comfortable. "I hope you don't mind."

"No, you can stay. I don't mind." Elena turned her attention back to applying her makeup.

If he wanted to just stand there, watching her, than who was she to stop him? She'd been watched by far less pleasant people, so having the one determined to protect her watch while she put on her makeup didn't bother her.

After applying a bit of tinted lip balm, she pressed her lips together and examined her reflection. With her eyes accentuated by soft brown shadow and mascara, she finally felt like herself. Except for her hair. Why did they have to chop it off?

"Is something wrong?" Elijah took a step forward.

"No. It's just strange, seeing myself like this." She turned to face him. "It's been a while since I cared about what I looked like."

"Are you ready to face the wolves?" Elijah asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Only Nik's the wolf, Elijah!" an unfamiliar woman called.

"Yet every single one of you act like you were raised by wolves, Rebekah," Freya remarked dryly. "Including you, Elijah."

"It's a sunny day, so it might be best if you were to wear the daylight ring, so you don't get caught by surprise." He pulled the ring out of his pocket and held it out to her. "You don't have to if you don't want to though."

Elena studied the blue stone for a long moment before hesitantly reaching for it. Taking the silver band between her forefinger and thumb, she slid it onto her right forefinger.

"I don't feel any different," she said as she twisted her hand out in front of her, examining the delicate piece of jewelry.

"You won't, not until you go into sunlight." He smiled softly. "And even then, you'll only feel warmth, much like you did when you were human."

"Let's go downstairs before I lose my nerve."

"Of course." Elijah tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and led her out of the bedroom.

The closer she got to the dining room, the more nervous she got. How would they react to the girl their brother had never slept with, but who carried his child?

"Relax," he whispered. "You're safe. They won't hurt you, I swear it."

Elijah rounded the corner first, allowing Elena to use him as a shield between herself and his siblings.

As she peered around his arm, she laid eyes on his family for the first time. On one side, there was a lovely blonde woman, sitting next to a handsome, dark skinned man. Next to them, was a younger man that bore a strong resemblance to Elijah. Beside him was a man who looked more like the unfamiliar blonde than he did the others. At the foot of the table there was another dark haired man and to his right,, there sat a woman with flaming red hair.

"My younger sister, Rebekah," Elijah started with the introductions. "Her partner, Marcel Gerard. Kol, then Niklaus, who most people outside the family call Klaus. At the foot of the table, we have Finn and beside him is his partner, Sage."

"Hi." Elena gave an awkward wave as she tightened her grip on Elijah's arm.

"Don't worry about us," Sage said. "You're safer here than anywhere else in the world."

Elijah led Elena around and pulled out the chair next to Keelin. Once she was seated, he took the seat between herself and Sage.

"I'm glad you could join us." Freya smiled and lifted her glass.

"Figured it's time to meet everyone." Elena bit her lower lip and turned her focus back to the table.

"Torture is never an easy thing to recover from," Klaus said, his voice far more gentle than his reputation would have suggested. "So you don't have to worry about offending us if you can't be around us much yet."

Elena hunched in on herself and Elijah reached out, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Hayley called. She wanted to know if Hope could stay with us this weekend," Freya commented.

Elena glanced up at her and gave a small smile, thanking her for changing the subject.

"I told her that we were still dealing with the after affects of a spell gone wrong, but if she can't come here, then you, Klaus, will take her to the Governor's mansion."

"Of course."

"Perhaps Hope can come here first and if things work out, she can stay," Elijah suggested. "But if it becomes too much, then she and Klaus go to the mansion."

With that, the conversation flowed into something less stilted, but Elena didn't bother trying to keep up with. If she tried, she knew she'd be overwhelmed, so she just let the voices flow over her. It felt… nice, just being, feeling like she was a part of something.

The siblings teased each other and made jokes even as they discussed serious affairs. Seeing them behave so normally, it gave her hope for what her future might be like. Maybe being a vampire wasn't so bad after all. If there were days like this, if she had people who loved each other like this around her, and if they maybe grew to love her at some point, she could make a life worth living.

"Elena."

Elena glanced up to find Rebekah looking at her.

"If you still dance, we could turn one of these rooms into a studio for you. I'm sure Elijah and I could work something out, if you're interested."

"I haven't danced in a while." Elena ducked her head, embarrassed to have to admit that.

"After all the training you've had, it wouldn't take much for you to get back into it, what with muscle memory and all that."

"I do miss it. That and skating."

"Alright, we'll create a dance studio for you." Rebekah smiled. "That should be enough to hold you over until you're able to get to a skating rink."

Elena smiled at her and then curled in on herself a little.

"Do you want to return to your room?" Elijah murmured from her elbow.

"I should be okay until breakfast is over."

"Let me know if you need to leave before then."

She nodded once, then looked at the table in front of her again.

Thankfully, the attention turned away from her as they discussed what to do about her new dance studio. Since it was of interest to her, she found herself tuning in a bit more, though she remained silent.

She peered at the three couples at the table with her from under her lashes, watching them. Freya and Keelin were probably the most recent couple, if Keelin's physical age and Elena's nose were anything to go by, yet they still moved with a fluid synchronicity that told of honesty and trust.

Freya got a bit of yogurt on the corner of her mouth and Keelin wiped it off with her thumb. Grinning at her lover, Keelin pressed her thumb to her lips, her tongue peeking out to taste the cream. Freya grinned at the werewolf and the intimacy of the moment made Elena feel the need to look away.

Would she ever find someone like that? Someone who would look at her and just know what she was thinking or feeling? As that thought crossed her mind, another voice echoed through her. Not likely, not with her history.

Her throat tightened and suddenly all desire to be around others was gone. She needed to be back in her room. She needed to be away from everyone or she would break down in front of people she didn't know, yet again.

Elijah's hand on her elbow caught her attention and she looked up at him in surprise. She hadn't realized that he'd noticed her distress, but she was grateful for his attention to her needs.

"I don't think they'll mind too much if you have to excuse yourself early."

"Thanks." She was only able to mouth the word, her voice lost to the swell of emotion in her breast.

He pulled her chair out and helped her to her feet.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Don't apologize, Elena," Keelin said. "You're essentially recovering from an illness. You can't expect yourself to be one hundred percent right away."

Elijah scooped her into his arms and Elena automatically wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face against his chest.

"Poor girl," Sage murmured from behind her. "That woman got off easy for what she did to her."

"Normally, I don't advocate violence against humans, but in this case, I would have to agree," Finn said.

"She can hear you," Elijah called over his shoulder.

"My apologies, Elena," Finn responded, his voice contrite.

They were silent until Elijah set her down on her bed and sat down beside her.

"I'm sorry I had to leave early."

"Elena, you've been through a lot. No one blames you for having to bow out early." He cradled her cheek in his hand. "The fact that you went down at all speaks to the fact that you're healing. Maybe not at the rate you seem to believe you should, but you're on the road to reclaiming your life."

"When?"

"When what?"

"When will I be normal again?"

"None of us are normal, lovely Elena." He caught her eye. "We've all been broken. What matters is that you try to make something of your life after the fact."

Someone knocked on the door.

"It's me," he said.

"Niklaus," Elijah acknowledged, then turned to Elena. "May he come in?"

Elena nodded.

"She says you may enter."

The door opened and the hybrid opened the door, then closed it behind him.

"I'll only be a moment," Klaus said. "I just wanted to say that, out of everyone here, I probably have a better understanding of what you're dealing with. I was tortured for fifty years and I was never the same."

Shock filled her and she found herself looking at the hybrid with new eyes.

"Mystical vampire hunters are a pain in the arse, even after you've killed them, vampire hating witches and their spells." He shook his head. "But the point is, I was tortured by someone weaker than myself, driven mad by him."

"Wow."

"So what I'm trying to say is, you're surrounded by people who won't judge you for your pain." He inclined his head. "We might not understand exactly what you're going through, but we do know what suffering is like and won't fault you for reacting differently than you used to."

"Thank you."

With that, Klaus left the room and Elena curled up on the bed, facing Elijah.

"Healing is never easy, but it is possible." He caught her hand in his, bringing it to his face.

Elena blinked sleepily.

"You're tired."

"Will you stay?"

"Of course."


	16. Chapter 16

It took her two days before she could leave her room again. During that time, no one tried to convince her that she had to leave since she had already braved the world beyond her door once. They accepted her need to remain quiet and limit her contact with the rest of the family.

Near sunset on the second day, the house was quiet, since most of the family was out, taking care of the business they'd moved to other locations since she'd arrived. After finally seeing part of where she lived, she found herself wanting to explore it a little more.

She slipped on a pair of shoes and stepped out. Her heart raced as she walked down the hallway. The only time she'd been out of her room, she'd been with Elijah, so venturing out on her own was a bit nerve-wracking.

As she moved from room to room, she couldn't help but compare it to the museums she'd been to in her time on the international skating circuit. Only this was better since the people here knew exactly what they were talking about since they'd used the items, had purchased them when they were new.

Downstairs, in the courtyard, Elena walked around, studying the sky above her.

It had been so long since she'd been able to see the blue sky, to feel the sun warm on her skin out of doors. Closing her eyes, she inhaled, drinking in the scents and sounds of the city around her.

"Katherine!" an unfamiliar female voice snarled and Elena found herself thrown against the wall, with fangs in her throat.

"Elijah!" Elena screamed. "Elijah!"

The woman pinning her to the wall sank her fangs in even deeper in response to her shrieks. Elena struggled against her assailant, attempting to throw her off, but to no avail

"Elijah!" Her cry came out even more desperate than before.

Almost before her lips formed his name that last time that her attacker was ripped away from her and she found herself presented with Elijah's suit covered back. He shifted into a predatory stance, facing the snarling woman.

She leaped and Elijah caught her by the neck, pinning her to the ground. With a snarl, he plunged his hand through her chest.

"Enough! Hayley!" he growled. "Attack Elena again and I swear I will tear out your heart.

He stood up, wiping the blood of his hand as he did, and turned around. Holding out his hand, he helped her to his feet, his expression shifting to one of concern. A few people milled around them, but Elena forced herself not to focus on them because if she did, her nerves would get the better of her.

"I thought she was Katherine, I swear," Hayley whimpered, finally able to breathe after her chest healed. "I didn't know the other one even existed!"

"If you thought we'd let Katherine just roam the house, if she were here, you don't know us very well," Elijah said as he examined her torn throat. "That woman is no more welcome here than a member of the Five vampire hunters."

"She got me good, didn't she?" Elena studied Elijah's worried face, her own panic rising. Why was he so worried?

"Worse than good. She's a hybrid."

Elena jerked, staring at him in alarm. "Like Klaus?"

"I'm afraid so, yes."

"Am I gonna die?" Memories of the stories Enzo told her about werewolf bites reared their heads and with them, came the terror.

"Not if I can help it," he said as he pulled out his cell phone. Dialing a number, he put it to his ear, "Niklaus, you're needed at the compound. I'm afraid it's a matter of some urgency."

There was a mumble from the phone, but Elena couldn't focus on what was being said.

"Niklaus, hurry, please." Elijah hung up the phone. "He'll be here shortly, and his blood will heal you."

Elijah helped her to her feet and led her over to a chair. Elena sank into it and drew her knees to her chin.

"You'll be alright, Elena, I swear it. Just as soon as Niklaus gets here, you'll be healed."

"Who is she?" an unfamiliar dark haired man helped up her attacker.

"She's no one you need to concern yourself with." Elijah dabbed her throat with his handkerchief. "She's strictly my responsibility. I gave her my word I'd protect her.

A moment later, there was a rush of wind, and she found herself face to face with Klaus.

"Bloody hell," Klaus said as he examined the bite mark, though he didn't lay a finger on Elena. "You know, considering her condition, this might not work."

"At least try," Elijah begged in a strangled voice. "You have to try. She's weakening much faster than she should be."

Klaus flashed over to the liquor cabinet across the room—because of course they had a liquor cabinet in every room—and grabbed a glass. Biting his hand, he allowed some of his blood to drain into the glass.

"Here." Klaus handed her the glass.

Elena took it and lifted it to her lips, drinking the contents quickly. As soon as the blood hit her stomach, she felt the wound close over. But something was wrong. She didn't feel like she should if she were truly recovered. Slowly she climbed to her feet. If the blood was supposed to heal her, why did she still feel off?

"Looks like it wor-"

Before he could complete the sentence, Elena found herself on her knees, throwing up, the rejected blood burning her throat as her body expelled it.

"Or not."

"Ah!" Elena screamed, her hands going to her throat, as the wound ripped itself open again and she felt hot and cold by turns, with sweat trickling down her spine. She curled into a trembling ball and the two men crouched over her.

"She's declining even faster than she would have if she hadn't drunk your blood," Elijah said, horrified. "This can't be happening!"

"I'm calling Freya," Klaus pulled out his cell phone. "She may be able to come up with something to help."

"Two unmixable compounds need an emulsifier." Elena whispered. It seemed that at least some of the bits and pieces she's learned in the lab finally proved to be useful.

"What?" Elijah asked. For being so smart, his fear not allowing him to make the connection.

"You drink his blood," an especially powerful shudder wracked her frame, "then I drink yours."

"Of course." His voice turned hopeful. "Niklaus, please."

"Right. More blood coming up."

A few seconds later, Elijah lifted her head, cradling it in one hand, and held his free wrist to her lips. Elena just barely managed to extend her fangs, but as his blood entered her system, she felt her strength return to her.

"How do you feel?" Elijah asked as he helped her to her feet. She tried to take a step and ended up stumbling against his chest

"I think I need to lie down for a while," she whispered.

"Of course."

She took a trembling step forward and nearly fell. Looked like she could still go into shock.

Elijah scooped her up and strode towards her room.

"Looks like you've managed to piss of Elijah properly this time," Klaus chuckled from behind her. "He promised to keep her safe and you made him break his word."

Elijah set Elena down on her bed and lowered himself so that he was looking up at her.

"Why did she attack me? I never even saw her before and she jumped me!"

Elijah sighed, then said, "What do you know about the Petrova dopplegangers?"

"The who?"

Elijah sat down in the chair across from her and, after taking a deep breath, regaled her with the story of the dopplegangers he'd encountered. First there was Tatia, the woman both he and Klaus had loved and fought over, the woman who'd eventually lost her life as a result of their mother turning them into vampires and who's blood bound Klaus's curse for five hundred years. Then came Katerina Petrova, now Katherine Pierce, a girl who'd become the one to break Klaus's curse, but in the end proved conniving and manipulative, hellbent on gratifying herself no matter the cost to others.

When the story was over, Elena sat curled up against the headboard, staring at her hands.

"Elena?" Elijah's tentative quiry broke her out of her thoughts. "What are you thinking?"

"Every five hundred years, a woman with my face is born?"

"Yes. And from what we've gathered, Tatia wasn't the first in the line. Kol knows more about this than I do. He's the one who brought that to our attention."

"So my face isn't even mine. I'm a copy of a copy of a copy of whoever." She turned to Elijah, accusations in her eyes as a tear trickled down her cheek. "Is that how you see me, a copy of someone you cared about?"

"No." He swallowed, then continued. "But it is the fact that you are the Petrova doppleganger that allowed this child to be conceived. The magic in your blood, and the fact that my continued existence is a result of your bloodline came together to allow the science to do what was theorized."

"Am I even real?" She brushed the tears away roughly and squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to stem their flow.

The bed gave as Elijah sat down.

"What?" She refused to look at him.

"Look at me."

Elena shook her head. The father of the spawn had known two other women who looked exactly like her, had loved them both, if the hint of pain in his voice when he spoke of Katherine was anything to go by.

"If you think that we believe you're not you're own person, we would have dragged you here and let Niklaus use your blood to make his hybrids when you first burst onto the national stage." He cupped her cheek and brushed another tear away. "Instead, we spread the word to leave you alone, and otherwise steered clear of your life."

Elena finally opened her eyes.

"You are your own person." Staring deeply into her eyes, he went on, "Think of the women who look like you as your twins. You share the same face, but you have your own mind. You are your own person."

"You've met three women with my face." Why did that twist her heart so much and tighten her throat? Why did it matter that a man she shouldn't care about- With a hard shake of her head, she refused to allow that thought to go any further.

He sighed.

"What?"

"You don't see yourself very well."

Elena rolled her eyes.

"You don't."

The intensity in his brown eyes made her desperate to change the subject. As she scrambled for a subject, Enzo crossed her thoughts. Her friend! How could she have forgotten about him? Guilt wracked her and she needed to know for sure if he was safe.

"Do you have any news on Enzo?"

"Not at the moment, but I can find out for you, if you'd like."

"Please." She nodded eagerly.

"You were close?"

"He was the only friend I had for three years and my sire, though that wasn't his choice."

"I'll ask if Freya can do a spell to contact him for you." Elijah pulled out his phone and tapped a message out.

"He helped me through a lot down there and I'd feel horrible if he got caught again."

"Enzo was freed because of you. If he gets caught again, that's on him." He glanced up from his texting. "However, since he is important to you, we will make sure he remains alive and unharmed."

"Thank you." Elena smiled. "He was more like a slightly degenerate older brother than a friend, really." At his raised brow, Elena continued, "You know, the one who'd take you out to a crazy party, but has your back and protects you if things got too out there."

"He sounds like a good friend."

"He was."

"I got you something." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a slim black object. "I thought you might need a way to reach us."

Elijah held it out and Elena took it from him. As she examined it, she realized it was a cell phone.

"I've already got all our numbers in your contacts and it's got internet access so you can put whatever you want on there."

"Thank you." She tapped the screen and unlocked the phone.

"I'll leave you to get acquainted with it." Elijah bowed his head once. "Freya will send you a message when she hears anything from Enzo. Text me if you need anything."

Once she was alone, Elena opened the music app. After searching for a bit, she found the song she wanted. 'It Doesn't Matter' by Allison Krauss. After it was downloaded, she put it on repeat.

As the music washed over her, she allowed herself to mourn for the girl she had been, the girl who had lost so much the day she died. Her father hadn't cared about what she wanted or needed once she became a vampire.

Each time the song repeated, she felt a little more of the pain fade away. She knew she'd never be completely free of the pain, of the scars, but maybe, with time, music could help stitch the ragged edges of her back together.

"She's listened to that song a hundred times now," Rebekah said as she threw herself into a chair in Elijah's office.

"If it helps her, I'm not going to complain about it." Elijah glanced up, but quickly returned his attention to his book.

"Are you going to try to get her to see one of our resident therapists?"

"She's not ready yet."

"Humans terrify her," Freya strode into the room and returned her grimore to the shelf, "so asking her to bare her soul to one is out of the question. Oh, and Elijah, Hayley asked me if you would see her before she returned to the bayou."

"I have nothing to say to her at the moment that doesn't involve her heart in my hand." Elijah shut the book shut and stood up. "If you'll excuse me."

He found himself outside Elena's door with his hand raised to knock. But he changed his mind and walked away.


	17. Chapter 17

Elena released her hold on Elijah's wrist and wiped the trickle of blood from her lower lip. She sat back on her heel and tilted her head back, allowing the euphoria to wash over her.

"Enzo called Freya last night after you went to sleep," Elijah said as he buttoned his shirt sleeve.

"He did?" Elena froze, the blood on her face forgotten. "What- what did he say?"

"He said he wasn't ready to speak to you just yet, but that after everything, you deserved an update." Elijah pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and gently wiped away the last of the blood off her chin. "One less thing for you to worry about. I got the impression that he feels guilty for what happened to you, that he couldn't save you."

"How is he?" Elena's breath trembled as she struggled to maintain her focus on his words rather than his touch on her skin.

"He's doing well. From what he said, he's still in Mystic Falls, but avoiding anyone who might recognize him."

"Why is he still there?" What was he thinking, staying in a town where people recognized him as a vampire and hated him for it?

"Tormenting Damon and loving it, from what I gathered."

Elena smiled. That sounded like Enzo.

"He asked about you, made sure you were being taken care of."

Elena chewed her lip for a long moment before saying, "I want to see him, sometime. I'm just not ready."

"Understandable. You both need to find healing first." Elijah brushed his thumb across her cheek and it was then that Elena realized she'd been crying.

"I'm sorry." She blinked and looked away.

"Don't. Don't ever apologize for crying." He caught her chin and gently tugged her head so that she was looking at him again.

Her eyes met his and her breathing hitched. She wanted, she wasn't sure what she wanted, she just knew she needed something that her conscious mind refused to acknowledge.

A little girl's giggle caught her attention as her door slammed opened, breaking the spell and they stepped apart.

"Hope." Elijah crossed the room and scooped her up.

"Come here, you!" Klaus braced his hands on the doorway. "You're not supposed to be in there and I'm guessing you know I can't enter the room without Elena's say so. I apologize, Elena. She means no harm."

"It's okay. She can stay," Elena said. How could she fault the girl for wanting to spend time with her uncle?

"Are you sure?" Klaus raised an eyebrow.

Elena nodded once.

"Stealing my daughter, Elijah?" Klaus's lips twisted up, but there was something in his eyes that sent a chill down Elena's spine. There was something between them, some sort of unrest they needed to work through and Elena fought the urge to hide from it.

"I think it's Elena that Hope is curious about, rather than me." Turning his attention to Hope, he asked, "Were you trying to get a look at our new friend" Elijah kissed her hair and Hope giggled again. "Is that it?"

Hope grinned widely and patted his cheeks between her hands.

"Very well, I'll be around later."

"I thought there was a spell on my room to keep people out," Elena commented trying to dispel the tension she felt from the two men. Would she be waking up with Kol staring down at her? Elijah's brother struck her as the sort to do just that once he discovered a weakness.

"Little Miss Hope here is able to work through most low level magic, which apparently includes your door." Elijah kissed Hope's cheek and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Though I'm sure Freya can make the spells stronger if you'd like."

"No, it's okay. I don't mind, as long as she don't come in here when I'm asleep."

"I think we can manage that, can't we, Hope?"

Elijah tossed Hope into the air and she shrieked with laughter. When he drew her close again, she grabbed a handful of his hair and babbled to him in her baby language and Elijah listened to her as though she was saying the most important thing he'd ever heard.

It was then that Elena realized that she was witnessing a very normal interaction between uncle and niece, that he wasn't putting on just because she was there. Hope wouldn't be so comfortable with him acting like this if it was fake.

Elijah was a natural at interacting with a child and Elena's throat tightened. This was the man who would care for and love the child she carried. He was meant to be a father. Maybe that's why magic allowed for this loophole to exist. Because who could deny him this?

"That's Elena," Elijah said and Hope listened in rapt attention. "She's a friend of mine and the mother of your cousin. Would you like to meet her?" He turned Hope towards her and asked the little girl, "Can you say 'hi'?"

Hope turned away from her and buried her face in Elijah's neck, peering at her from her hiding place.

"Hello, Hope."

 _Mother of your cousin_. That's what Elijah had called her. She was someone's mother. Even if she wasn't a part of the child's life, she would still be a mother. Without conscious thought, her hand moved to her stomach, to where the child grew inside of her.

Hope's stomach rumbled and Elena blinked, drawn out of her thoughts.

"I think she's hungry," Elena commented and pulled a face at Hope, causing the girl to giggle.

"Are you hungry?" Elijah asked Hope. "Hm? Do you want something to eat?"

Hope nodded emphatically.

"Then let's get some food into you." Elijah poked her lightly and Hope giggled again. To Elena, he said, "Are you coming? It would give people a chance to clean your room, change the sheets and all that. Freya can put the spell back up as soon as they're done."

She wasn't certain how she felt about people in her room, but she knew it needed to be cleaned. "Sure."

As they walked down the hall, Elijah shifted Hope so that she was in one arm, then wrapped his free arm around Elena's waist, pulling her against him. Elena clung to him, grateful to have him there to keep her anxiety about being out of her room away.

"Rebekah and Kol are out purchasing supplies to create your dance studio. We should be starting on it in the next few days."

"I can't wait." A bolt of adrenaline burst through her at the thought of being able to dance once more. She missed being able to move to the music, to lose herself fully and not just in the place she used to hide in her mind.

In the kitchen, Elijah situated Hope into her high chair. She started patting her tray as Elijah moved around the kitchen.

"What's to eat for Miss Hope?" Elena tapped Hope's nose and the girl smiled at her, exposing her little teeth.

"Cereal and smashed banana," Elijah replied as he poured a small amount of flakes from a box with a smiling baby face on it. "Little Missy needs to eat

Hope babbled and looked at Elena as if expecting a reply.

"Well, um, your uncle is getting your food ready and soon, your belly will be full."

Hope pointed to Elijah as he smashed bananas and smiled again.

"Yep, that's your food."

At that moment, Elijah set Hope's breakfast on her tray and spooned a bit into her mouth.

"One day, you're gonna have to learn to feed yourself, little one," he murmured. "You already feed yourself dry cereal."

Hope bit down on the spoon and refused to let it go for a bit.

"If you're playing games like this, it most definitely is time for it." He smiled at her. "You're getting to be a big girl now, aren't you?"

Hope grinned at him, mischief in her eyes.

"You're taking after your father more and more. He looks like that when he does something he knows I don't like."

"I heard that." Klaus entered the kitchen and walked over to his daughter. "Are you giving your uncle a hard time?"

Hope smiled widely in response.

"Good girl."

Hope grabbed Elijah's hand, stopping him from putting the spoon back into her cereal, and she smashed her hands into the bananas, splattering them across the high chair table. She giggled and started slapping her hands into the mess she'd made.

"No, sweetheart." Elijah caught her hand and pulled it out of the mash. "We don't play with our food."

Hope looked up at him and grinned.

"Niklaus, she is your daughter, you feed her." Elijah handed the spoon to Klaus and walked over to the sink to wash his hands.

"Isn't this cozy?" Kol said as he strode into the room. Going to the fridge, he opened the door and took out a blood bag.

"Kol," Elijah sighed.

"Hey, don't mind me." He emptied part of the bag into a glass. To Elena, he said, "I'm just glad you're out of your room. Looks like having that song on bloody repeat did wonders for you. Not that I minded overmuch. It was a decent choice in music. But even a good song can get worn out."

"Don't you have something else to do besides torment Elena about her song selection?" Elijah asked.

"Wasn't there that witch you're trying to woo?" Klaus tried to get Hope to eat her cereal, but she kept her jaw locked tight, her eyes dancing with mischief.

"'Trying,'" Kol scoffed. "Did you hear that, Elena? My brother has no faith in me."

"You've been attempting to get into her knickers for the last year and she's resisted you at every turn."

"Ah, but I wasn't trying then." Kol lifted his glass to his lips and took a drink. "I am now."

"Resistance makes the heart grow fonder?" Elena muttered.

"See? You get it." Kol grinned "Though I have it on good authority that she does like me, she's just afraid of what her people might say about her with an Original vampire. I'd find someone else if I knew she actually didn't want me."

"Who fed you that load of rot?" Klaus's lips twitched, but he refused to let the smile fully form.

"Before you know it, brother, Davina Claire will be eating out of the palm of my hand"

"Yes, well, I won't be holding my breath for that," Elijah commented.

"It will happen." Kol headed towards the door, taking his glass with him. "Just you wait, it will."

Seeing their interactions made her think about Jeremy, how they'd tease each other, and Elena found herself missing him all the more. Even though she couldn't be a part of his life anymore, she could at least have someone peek in and tell her if he was okay or not, couldn't she?

"Elena?"

She blinked and realized that Elijah was standing directly in front of her.

"What's wrong?"

"My brother, Jeremy." She bit the inside of her cheek as she considered her next words. "Do you think Enzo could check up on him and- and let you know what's going on with him? Jenna too, if he can."

"I'll make sure he gets the message."

"Thank you." Elena walked slowly towards the window. "Jeremy, he thinks I abandoned him, that I ran away." She exhaled sharply, before inhaling again, a near sob. "I couldn't even be there for him when Mom died."

"If he knew the truth, I'm sure he would understand."

"Unless he hates vampires as much as Grayson did." Elena wrapped her arms tightly around herself. "Just in case, he can't know."

"If that's what you want. He's your brother, so we won't act against your wishes."

"It's what I want," she whispered. "I couldn't live with him hating me."

"I'll make sure he knows.

Elijah cleared away the remnant's of Hope's breakfast and set her down on the floor. "Go find your dad, sweetheart."

"Da?" Hope asked, pointing towards the door, then, with a grin, she toddled away.

"Are the cleaners done?" Elena asked, suddenly needing to return to her room. She felt vulnerable and the kitchen was too bright.

"I'm afraid it will be another half hour or so before they're finished." Elijah stepped closer to her, so close she could feel his breath against her shoulder.

Elena slumped and he cupped her elbow, using his thumb to softly caress her.

"But my office is off limits to most people when the door is shut, if you'd like to go there."

Elena nodded. It wasn't quite what she needed, but if it was the best she could do, she'd take it until her room was ready.

"Shall we then?" He placed his hand on her lower back and guided her towards the door.

Elijah led her to his office and closed the door behind them. Elena sank into a chair across from his desk and pulled her knees to her chin.

"I feel all mixed up," Elena admitted. "Sometimes I feel good. Other times I just want everything to go away. It's like my brain can't decide how I should feel."

"That's completely natural considering healing isn't linear." Elijah walked over to the window and closed the curtains, casting the room in shadows. "So don't be too hard on yourself if it seems as though you've backtracked."

Elena smiled at him and shifted so that she was sitting on her feet.

"Is something wrong with with Klaus? He seemed a little cranky."

"It's nothing you have to worry about." Elijah shrugged, pursing his lips for a moment. "I used to have a-" he sighed, "a thing for Hayley, and Klaus feared I was planning to step in and take his place as Hope's father."

"What about now?"

"He's got to work through it. Once he gets it into his head that the only child I'm concerned with being a father to is mine, he'll calm down."

"Okay."

"Don't worry, Elena. Niklaus and I have had our differences and gotten over them in the past. This will be the same way. Hope is my niece and I love her, but I have no interest in taking Niklaus's place in her life. I never have."

"You had feelings for her, but you threatened to rip her heart out to protect me." Elena studied Elijah's face.

"I will never turn my back on you or our child. She is the most important person in my life and you are her mother. No matter what, I will always be there for you."

Elena ran her hand over her hair that now felt soft against her hand instead of scraping her palm. Maybe she could believe him in this. Knowing now that he once had feelings for Hayley, but threatened the other woman's life for her, it allowed her to believe, just a little.


	18. Chapter 18

Elena turned another page in the book, one of the stack that Elijah had selected for her. She had to admit, he made a good selection, but the sounds of something being built reminded her that they were creating a place for her to dance and she found herself itching to move. After three years of being forced to be still, her muscles ached to stretch, to return to her former activities.

She opened the music app on her phone and switched to a new song. Elijah had gotten her a pair of headphones, so the other occupants of the house wouldn't hear her music so loudly, much to Rebekah's relief.

Gah! She was an athlete and the thought of being able to move again got her adrenaline up, which made sitting still very difficult. When would it be finished? They'd been working on it for two days now. How much longer would it take?

She knew building things took time, but did it have to take so much time for vampires to make something?

Elena sighed and tried to force herself to return her attention to her book. But that only lasted for another half hour and she realized she hadn't turned a page the entire time. So, she gave up and lay back, throwing her arm over her eyes and focused on the music. And with that, she finally found herself able to relax somewhat, though the nervous edge still remained at the periphery.

Someone touched her arm and she jerked into awareness to find herself face to face with Elijah. He had his shirt sleeves rolled up with top two buttons undone and sawdust

"It's finished." His mouth curled at the corners and his dark eyes glittered with excitement.

"Really?" Elena sat up, pulling the earbuds out of her ears.

"Really. Come on then." Elijah grinned at her reaction and held out his hand.

Elena jumped to her feet and slid her phone into her pocket. As he led her out of the room, she allowed her fingers to slip in between his and pressed herself against his side.

"Don't worry." He patted her wrist with his free hand. "Anyone who's here that's not family is not allowed in this hallway."

He stopped by a door that smelled of cleaning chemicals and varnish.

"We tried to air out the room before we brought you here." He put his hand on the door. "But I thought you might want to see it as soon as everything was dry."

"I'm a vampire." Elena smiled at him. "I don't think chemical odors threaten my health anymore."

Elijah opened the door and Elena gasped. She walked through the door, staring around her in awe. They'd crafted the perfect dance studio. One wall had a mirror with a ballet barre and the floor was pale wood. Against the other wall, there was a dark wood wardrobe and next to that was a small speaker set that she could connect her phone to. The far wall was a huge window facing the courtyard.

Tears stung her eyes as she took it all in. They created this for her simply because they knew she enjoyed dancing. This was all for her.

"Elena?" Elijah touched her elbow. "Is something wrong?"

She ran her fingers alone the barre and whispered, "It's beautiful."

Crossing the room, she opened the wardrobe and found a variety of ballet and contemporary dance costumes.

Not even bothering to chase him out of the room, she shimmied out of her clothes and pulled on a leotard. When she turned back around, she found that Elijah had turned away, in effort to preserve her modesty, most likely.

"I take it you don't want to wait, even with the smell."

"You can open the door, if you like." Elena sat on the floor and gripped her foot as she started stretching out. Even though the stretching didn't have the same affect on her muscles that it once did, the familiar actions brought a sense of calm that she hadn't experienced since her transformation.

As Elena turned her attention back to stretching out her muscles, he walked over to the window and undid the locks, allowing it to swing open. A second later, fresh air filtered into the room, lessening the stench of varnish, and bringing the scent of rain.

"Do you need anything else?"

"I'm good, I think." She smiled widely.

"If you need anything, text one of us."

"Sure thing."

Elena stood up and selected a move soundtrack piece she'd skated to in the past. As the familiar beats enfolded her in their familiar embrace, her body moved on instinct. She'd gone over this performance over and over again so many times in her mind and in real life, that it felt so natural to run the routine. Even though she was on hardwood instead of the ice, her body compensated for it without so much as a thought.

Alone with nothing except for the music, Elena could pretend that she was still human and preparing for another competition. She half expected Alex to walk through the door with a new idea about how to perfect her routines. The only thing that ruined the illusion was that she didn't need to push her muscles so hard to get the height for her leaps, but not even that could ruin the joy of being able to dance once more.

Song after song that she'd skated to at her prime echoed through the room. The familiar routines allowed something in her mind to heal, because, while she couldn't compete anymore, she was no longer completely cut off from the world she loved so much.

Several hours into her practice, rain started falling and Elena paused in her routine. She walked over to the door and then reached out, catching water in her palm.

As the rain trickled off her hand, an idea struck her and she grinned. She listened, searching for any sound and found nothing except for Rebekah in the library. After changing the music to a more suitable piece for what she planned, she jumped over the railing, landing in the courtyard below.

From where she was, she could still hear the music playing and she tilted her head up to the sky, allowing the rain to kiss her face. Spinning around with her arms stretched towards the sky, she allowed the strains flowing from the open door to wash over her and guide her movement.

The chill of the water no longer troubled her and she enjoyed the sensation of water caressing her skin. Here, at one with the elements, she felt more alive than she had ever been before, wild and untamed. Was this how it felt to be a vampire and embrace her new nature? She laughed, exhilarated.

Some time later, someone grabbed her wrist, tugging on her, and she came face to chest with Elijah.

"Elena, what are you doing out in the rain?" he asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

Brought back to reality, she became aware of heartbeats nearby. She looked around and, to her horror, saw that she wasn't alone in the courtyard anymore. People she didn't recognize stood around under the balcony, safe from the rain, their attention fully on her.

"They're staring," she whispered, pressing against him as close as she could.

Their reactions reminded her of being in the lab, when the Augustine Society would come in and stare at her. Every eye around focused solely on her, like she was a freak, like she was something to be picked apart.

Elijah wrapped his arm around her waist and they flashed up the stairs and inside the house. Pausing in her studio, he grabbed her phone, before he head on. He left the room for a moment, then returned with a large towel.

"Why were they staring?"

"Most of them have never had the opportunity to see someone of your caliber perform before." He wrapped the towel around her and rubbed it down her limbs. "You're a well trained artist who dances with your heart."

"I didn't know any of them were there. I didn't know," she repeated the refrain until Elijah pulled her firmly against him.

"I'm so sorry. We told them not to meet here this time," he murmured into her hair. "You weren't meant to be exposed to them until you were ready to be around them."

"Promise?" She drew a trembling breath.

"I swear it." One hand moved to cradle her neck. "But it turns out that young vampires and teenage werewolves can't be trusted to do as they're instructed. I'll have words with them later about this breach of etiquette."

"I'm gonna get changed."

Now that the excitement of having her studio and being able to dance once had been tainted by strangers staring at her, she didn't want anyone looking at her, not even Elijah. Even though he was the only one she trusted right now, she wanted to be alone.

"Are you thirsty?" He asked gently.

"I'm fine." Elena wrapped her arms around her waist, hunching in on herself a little

"I'll be up later."

She nodded distractedly and headed towards the bathroom.

After changing out of his damp clothing, Elijah headed down stairs. Time to have a word with the neophytes who couldn't follow directions.

He opened the ballroom door and closed it with a bang. The milling group froze when they saw him.

"Would someone explain to me why you chose to disobey a direct order?" He picked off a bit of lint off his sleeve. "You were given instructions to stay away from The Abattoir until further notice, and yet, here I find you."

"Who is she?" Oliver asked. "Why does she matter so much?"

"Elena Gilbert is under my protection and will be staying here in the compound with us and that's all anyone needs to know." He raised an eyebrow at Oliver. "I would have thought me threatening to rip out Hayley's heart would have been enough to convince you to stay away from her. You were there, after all, and Hayley is your Alpha."

As much as he disliked reminding people of how strongly his previous affections for the hybrid ran, especially a member of the pack she shared with her husband, it served to drive his point home and Oliver backed down.

"Anyone else who so much as looks at Elena without her permission will find the situation rather," he pursed his lips as if considering his next words, "disheartening."

"Reading them the riot act, eh brother?" Klaus entered the room.

"They disobeyed and distressed Elena," Elijah said as he adjusted his tie. "In her present condition, such distress could prove disastrous."

"I'm not judging." Klaus laughed.

"If you don't mind, take this meeting to a more appropriate location?" Elijah raised an eyebrow at his brother. "These little gatherings of yours tend to get rather loud."

"Of course." Klaus had the audacity to laugh shamelessly at Elijah's accusation. "Send your lovely lady my regards and my promise to see to it that this doesn't happen again."

"Elena Gilbert?" Gia asked, hooking a brunette lock behind her ear. "The figure skater? Is that who she is?"

"The very same. However, she is in no condition to discuss her career. Now, if you'll excuse me." Elijah headed towards the door.

Right as his foot touched the stairs, his phone rang. He blinked, confused at the unfamiliar number. People he didn't know almost never got his number and, even more rarely, called him. They feared him too much to draw attention to themselves.

"Hello?"

"Elijah Mikalson?" an unfamiliar woman asked. She sounded hesitant, as though she feared she'd gotten the wrong number.

"This is he."

"I'm sorry for calling you like this, but Enzo St. John gave me your number. He said you were the one to call."

"May I ask who you are?"

"My name is Jenna Sommers."

"How may I help you, Miss Sommers?" That name sounded familiar, but where he'd heard it eluded him.

"Elena Gilbert, do you know her?"

"How do you know her?" Elijah felt his hackles raise. How dare Enzo give out information on Elena? What was the younger vampire thinking? Elijah decided he needed to have words with him for this.

"She's my niece."

Elijah knocked on her door.

"Come in."

His expression caught her off guard. He seemed torn about something, afraid almost and he had his phone in his hand.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Your aunt. She called. Do you want to speak to her?"

"She- she called?"

"Katerina turned her into a vampire two months ago, something about not believing they didn't know where you were. When I asked Enzo to check in on them, he took it upon himself to give them a means of contacting you."

"She- what does she want?"

"For you to live with them."

"No." Elena shook her head.

"Elena, she is your family. You don't have to stay here for my sake. If you want, I would be willing to go there until the baby's born."

"I'm not- I can't." She swallowed, fighting back her panic. "I can't. Not now."

Elijah sat down beside her, pulling her into his arms and Elena clung to him. Pressing her face against his neck, she inhaled his scent. Here, cradled against his chest, she felt safe. Here, with Elijah to protect her, no one could harm her.

"Would you like to speak to her?"

Elena stared at him for a long moment, chewing her lip.

"It's your decision. I will never force you to do something."

"Could you dial the number and stay with me?"

"Of course."

Elijah dialed the number and held his phone out. Elena took it from him and pressed the speaker button.

"Hello?"

Elena drew a deep breath, then said, "Hi, Aunt Jenna."

"Elena?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Oh, my god." Jenna let out a strangled sob. "I can't believe I'm talking to you right now, that you're actually talking to me."

"I'm here." Elena dug her fingers into Elijah's shirt, seeking his strength.

Elijah pressed his lips to the top of her head and she relaxed against him. As long as he held her, she could get through this.


	19. Chapter 19

"How do I deal with this?" Elena asked. She sat, curled up in a chair in Elijah's study, a history book in her lap.

"Could you elaborate?" Elijah set aside the papers he'd been studying intently and looked at her.

"My family. I love them, but I've changed so much. I just- I don't-" she sighed.

"You feel like you've become a different person during your separation and you're not sure if there's a way of mending that gap."

Elena lowered her gaze and nodded once.

"There's nothing wrong with feeling like that. Sometimes even without a great trauma, people go their own ways."

"They're my family."

"Do you want to get close to them again?"

Elena nodded slowly. "They're my family and I love them. I'm just. I don't know how- I can't-"

"Breathe."

Tears filled her eyes as thoughts fought for purchase in her mind.

"Elena." Elijah knelt down in front of her, cupping her cheek. "It's okay to want to protect yourself after everything you've been through, even if it's from your own family. If they can't accept that, that's on them. But love can breach even the widest gulfs, if both parties are willing to try."

"Do you promise?"

"I swear it. It can't be all on you or all on them and it's going to take time. But it's not impossible."

"Okay." Elena covered his hand with hers. "You're a lot kinder than Enzo said you'd be."

"I'm only kind to my family. Everyone else, not so much." His lips curled up. "Though, not even Niklaus would find it in his heart to be cruel to you if you weren't carrying my child after everything you've been through, and he's," Elijah sighed heavily, "Niklaus."

"So only family sees your gentleness. The rest of the world sees the mask you cultivate to protect the ones you love."

"Yes." His thumb brushed her cheek and he stood up. "Take things one day at a time, one hour at a time, one message at a time. Don't force anything."

"Thank you." Elena looked at the papers he was studying, spells of some kind, if the diagrams were anything to go by. "You've got things to do tonight?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I'll only be gone for a few hours, but there's been a situation we've been attempting to help Davina Claire find a solution for. She's so young, not more than eighteen, which is why we're trying to help her. Freya's out there now, helping her prepare. Keelin will be here while I'm away, so you won't be alone."

"Is something wrong?" How much had she missed by keeping to her room and avoiding everyone except for Elijah?

"Nothing you need to worry about." Tension crept into his shoulders.

"What's going on?"

"The witches are trying to find a way to contain a malevolent witch spirit, to destroy her entirely, if possible."

"What's she doing?"

"She's been targeting Hope."

"Oh, my god. Have you found a way?"

"We think so. Powerful binding spells and a tomb that no one living or dead will be able to enter or escape from, and that includes spirits."

"And why is Davina so important to this?"

"She's the Regent, the ancestors' voice in the land of the living."

"That's a lot of pressure on a kid."

"It is." Elijah's mouth thinned, clearly disturbed by this. "We think we've found the spells necessary and between all of us, we've got the knowledge and the power, so with any luck, it won't take long to deal with this witch."

"Okay." Elena wrapped her arms around her knees. Being left alone, without him anywhere near the house if she needed help, it scared her. If only she was strong enough to leave the house and go with him. Then she wouldn't have to be afraid of him not hearing her if she panicked.

"I'm sorry, Elena. We thought I wouldn't be needed, but there's no way out of it. I just thought you'd be asleep by now and not realize I'd had to go out for a bit. This can't be avoided."

"I know." Elena nodded. "You've got a life and duties you need to attend to and I'm just in the way."

"You're not in the way," Elijah said gently. "It'll take time for you to become comfortable, but that doesn't mean you're in the way."

"And the wicked witch?"

"Her only escape will be to pass on."

Elena ran her hand over her soft hair, tugging on it lightly.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." he kissed the top of her hair and left the room.

She lost track of time sitting there. Without Elijah around, she felt lost, adrift. In the short time she'd known him, the ancient man had become more than a friend to her, he'd become her rock, her safe harbor, and now he was out there, facing some unknown danger.

"Elena?" Keelin's voice drew her out of her thoughts. "Have you been in here since he left?"

Elena nodded once, but didn't look at the werewolf.

"I'd invite you to join me for a cup of tea, but..." Keelin trailed off.

"I wouldn't be able to hold it down."

"Right." Keelin shifted on her feet. "Do you want me to stay with you? Or you could come downstairs and sit with me, if you like."

Elena shrugged. Honestly, she didn't know what she wanted. Everything felt wrong without him nearby at night. Going to her room, with its big, empty bed, knowing Elijah wasn't in the house if she had a nightmare, she couldn't do it. Wrapping her arms more tightly around her middle, she settled deeper into her chair and rested her forehead against her knees.

"Alright. I'll be around if you need anything." Keelin left her alone then.

Where was he? She needed him. She hated herself for how needy she was, how desperate she was to have him close. He had his responsibilities, he was important in the supernatural world and there was something horrible going on that didn't involve her.

How selfish was she? Focused herself when he had so much else he needed worry about. His family was in danger and she was sitting here, feeling sorry for herself.

Tears trickled down her cheeks, but she couldn't bring herself to move to wipe them away.

Her phone dinged a few times with text messages, but she hardly registered the sound, simply sitting there, in the dark, waiting for Elijah to come back.

"Elena?"

Elijah's voice drew her out of her slump and she looked up. His clothes were rumpled, his hair askew, and he smelled of smoke, but he was otherwise unharmed.

"What happened?" she asked, jumping out of her seat. "Are you okay?"

"The witch went down harder than we thought. But we all survived." He brushed his thumb beneath her eye. "You've been crying."

Elena hung her head, but Elijah lifted her chin with gentle hands.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. It's just me, being pathetic."

"You're not pathetic." He pulled her against his chest and rubbed soothing circles on her back. "I'm usually here at night, so me not being here, it upset the routine."

Elena sniffed. "I just feel selfish, needing you here when you've got other things to do, other people who need you more than I do. I'm just a burden you put up with."

"You're carrying my child. That makes you mine to care for, not a burden," Elijah breathed against her ear.

If he was whispering it, were other people in the house? People who didn't know about her true connection to him?

In answer to her unspoken question, other voices filtered up the stairs.

"Some of wolves got hurt in the fight, so Hayley and Jackson are here with them and Klaus has Hope for the night while they heal."

"Hurt? How bad?"

"Nothing that some magic and rest can't cure." Elijah carded his fingers into her hair as he cradled the back of her head. "They'll heal, in time. I think they'll take broken bones and cuts over dawn funerals in the bayou any day."

Elena's phone dinged again and she jumped. Pulling it out of her pocket she saw that she'd missed several texts from the Mystic Falls gang.

"Is everything alright?"

"They got a little worried when I didn't reply." She tapped out a message. "I told them there was something going on here, so I got distracted, but I'm fine so they don't need to worry."

"I'm going to get cleaned up. I'll meet you in your room, if you need to feed."

Elena's hand went to her throat, and she fought the urge to extend her fangs at the reminder of her thirst.

"Breathe, Elena. I'll be there shortly."

Elena nodded and walked down the hall towards her room.

Near her doorway, she saw a werewolf with long, blond hair, talking to Hayley. Elena wrapped her arms around herself more tightly and wished Elijah had seen her to her door, what with these strangers around. Especially since one of them had attacked her already and both seemed annoyed.

"I just want to talk to her."

"Oliver, no."

"Is it because she's a vampire?" Oliver's voice turned petulant. "Or is it because Elijah-"

"That's enough." Hayley's mouth thinned and her eyes narrowed. "You've got a crush on her because you think she's pretty. What may have escaped your notice was how she speaks to almost no one and keeps to her rooms most of the time."

"So? Maybe she's just shy."

"Doubtful."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you weren't the only one who read up on her life before she became a vampire and she wasn't shy then."

"So?"

"So," Hayley pinched the bridge of her nose. "You don't end up the way she is now without a reason and right now the only person she trusts is Elij-" Hayley caught sight of Elena, her eyes widening and she looked around quickly as she pulled Oliver away from the door. "Come on. We shouldn't be here anyways."

"But-"

"This hallway is off-limits to everyone except for family right now, because of Elena. If we get caught down here, we're in trouble."

Oliver reluctantly allowed Hayley to lead him away, not realizing Elena was in the hallway, and the young vampire hurried into her room, shutting the door firmly behind her. With a terrified glance over her shoulder, she ran to her bed and pulled her blankets over her.

Having someone in her area, her sanctuary, the area of the house she knew would only contain the few people who she trusted to stand with Elijah no matter what, it made her feel vulnerable. Even the people spying on her when she danced didn't make her feel so raw. Her security had been breached.

Elena curled up as tightly as she could, trying to make herself as small as possible.

"Elena?" Elijah tugged the covers gently. "What happened?"

Knowing that Elijah would carry through on his threat to kill anyone in this part of the house that shouldn't be there, Elena just shook her head.

"Elena, someone was up here, weren't they?"

She didn't reply.

"I heard them talking. They defied me."

"Hayley kept him away from me." Elena wasn't sure why she was defending the woman who nearly killed her. The only thing she could think of was that the father of her child cared for the woman, had loved her at one point.

"I know."

"Are you going to, will you, will you kill him?" Killing someone for her, that didn't seem right. No one should lose their lives just for scaring her. As much as she wanted them to stay away, death seemed like an over the top way to go about it.

Elijah pursed his lips, considering his next course of action carefully.

"He scared me, but he shouldn't have to die."

"And yet, he was warned to stay away from you."

"Elijah."

He sighed, then said, "For your sake, a strongly worded warning and perhaps later some spells put up on the halls, not just your room, should suffice."

"Okay."

"I'll make it clear that the only reason he still lives is because you don't want someone dying for upsetting you."

Elena looked him over. In his button up shirt with the collar and sleeves undone, unshaven face, and damp hair he looked- Elena swallowed and looked away quickly.

"I suppose it is past time for you to feed, isn't it?" He held his wrist up.

Before she could talk herself out of it, Elena pulled him so that he was against the headboard and she sat in his lap. Taking his hand in hers, she brought his hand to her mouth. Elijah wrapped his free arm around her waist and rested his chin against her hair.

Like this, things felt right, safe in Elijah's arms, where no one could hurt her.

Elijah watched Elena for a long time after she finally succumbed to sleep.

The way she clung to him while feeding from him, and then as she drifted off told him that the werewolves being near her had frightened her far more than she wanted to admit.

Carefully, he extracted himself from her grip and left the room.

He found the werewolves he sought around the bed of one of their strongest, Aiden, as he rested in the throes of a sleeping potion. Josh, one of the youngest vampires and Aiden's lover, stood nearby, chewing on his lip.

Hayley saw him enter the room and stiffened.

"Elena didn't rat you out, if that's what you're thinking. I heard you." He eyed the liquor cabinet, wishing more than anything he could take a drink. "It's because she didn't think it was right for people to die simply for terrifying her that you're not dead, Oliver. You were told to stay out of that part of the house. Mark my words, should anyone go near her again, without her say, I will deal with you and she won't be able to stop me."

"Why does it matter to you what she wants?"

"Elena matters to me for reasons that don't concern any of you. Her request to spare you is the only reason I've not kept my word to kill anyone who approached her against her will, but I'm nearing the end of my patience. Stay away from her. She doesn't want you near."

"Oliver, do as he says. We stay out of vampire business unless it involves us," Jackson crossed his arms. "And Elena is definitely vampire business that doesn't involve us."

Elijah inclined his head only to snap to attention when Elena started to scream and he flashed to her side.

"Elena, shh. Shh." He wrapped his arms around her trashing body, still lost in her nightmares. "It's me."

Elena mumbled something, more asleep than awake, and buried her face against his throat as she wrapped herself around him as tightly as she could get.

"I'm here, lovely Elena. I'm here."

She finally relaxed in his embrace and her breathing evened out once more.


	20. Chapter 20

"I know she's here!" a man shouted.

Elena sat up, setting her book to one side. She knew that voice. Didn't she?

"I know!" He sounded desperate now. "Please. It's important that I speak to her."

"What business could you possibly have with her?" Kol asked, the chilling politeness in his voice frightening. "Perhaps, I should just deal with you myself."

"You think I would risk coming into the home of the most powerful vampires in the world if it wasn't important that I talk to her?"

Elena walked out onto the balcony and looked down into the courtyard.

"Uncle John?" Elena asked, her voice loud enough so that her uncle's human ears could pick it up. "What do you want?"

"Elena." He exhaled in relief and a faint smile curled his lips up. "I'd like to talk to you, if you'll let me."

"What do you want?"

"There's some things you need to know, things you should have been told a long time ago."

"What sort of things?" Elena challenged, even as she wrapped her arms around her stomach.

Having him so near her, and in consequence, her baby, it terrified her. So much for healing. Just coming face to face with a human was enough to set her into a downward spiral

"Perhaps it can wait until Elijah returns." Kol looked from Elena to John. "He won't be pleased if someone upsets her and he's not around to make sure she's taken care of."

"Of course. I can wait." John looked around, taking in the house.

"Allow me to show you to the sitting room."

"I'm gonna stay in my room until he gets here." Elena turned to go back inside. "And Kol, please don't eat him before Elijah gets back."

"I shall try my upmost." Kol bowed, then held out his hand for John to follow him.

Elena sat on the edge of her bed, gripping the blankets as tightly as she could.

What did Grayson's brother want with her? Wasn't it enough that the family who didn't hate what she was contact her? Now to have her uncle, who, according to Jeremy hated vampires as much as Grayson, did show up?

How did he find her? Not even her family knew her exact location. Though Enzo might have put the pieces together as to where she was staying, and maybe Jeremy's vampire girlfriend, if she knew enough about the Originals.

"Elena."

She blinked, started to see Elijah on his knees in front of her.

"If you don't want to talk to him, you don't have to."

Elena shook her head. "I wanna know what he thinks is so important that he had to find me."

"If that's what you want." He held out his hand and Elena linked her fingers with his as she stood up. "Ready?"

"Nope." She took a deep breath and tightened her grip on Elijah's hand. "Let's get this over with."

"Just say the word and we'll send him away."

Elena nodded and slipped her feet into a pair of flats.

When they arrived at the sitting room door, Elena paused, watching John from the shadows.

He stared at his hands and then looked up at the ceiling. Was he- was he nervous?

"Mr. Gilbert," Elijah said, drawing John's attention.

"Oh, I didn't realize you were here."

Elijah led Elena to the couch across from John and they both sat down.

"I can't believe you're alive." John blinked, his eyes strangely wet.

"I'm not alive though, am I?" Elena held Elijah's hand to her chest.

"You think I care about that?" John whispered. "Yes, I'll admit to being upset when I learned there was a chance you'd become a vampire, but after I thought about it, I decided that at the end of the day, it didn't matter."

"It mattered to your brother!" Elena spat.

"How so?"

"He kept me locked up and tortured me! Because I'm a god damn vampire!"

"He what?" John's face paled.

"You didn't know?"

"Know what? What are you talking about, Elena?"

"When I died, I woke up in his lab, in the basement of Whitmore House. He force fed me human blood so I'd turn, then put me in a cage, and spent the rest of his life trying to turn me back into a human. The Mikaelsons found me and freed me about a month and a half ago."

"We trusted him!" John leaped to his feet and started to pace. "He promised. He swore he'd treat you as his daughter."

"What? What do you mean?"

"You weren't Grayson and Miranda's child," John's voice cracked. "You're mine."

"Huh?" Elena blinked, startled as she attempted to process this new bit of information.

"I'm your father. Your mother and I, we were teenagers and in no state to be parents when you were born. Grayson and Miranda had been having trouble conceiving, so it seemed meant to be. You'd still be a part of the Gilbert family, but raised by people who could afford to care for you."

"You mean-" Elena broke off, her throat tightening. "He's not my father. Grayson's not my father!"

Sobs shook her shoulders and she curled in on herself. Elijah pulled her into his arms, cradling her against his chest as she cried.

"Is there anything I can do?" John asked.

"No. Except be there for her and wait for this storm to subside." Elijah ran his hand up and down her arm. "She's been through a lot the last three years, more than most vampires see in their first century."

"I trusted him. I thought she was in good hands."

"Had she remained human, she would never have experienced what she did."

"It makes no difference!" John started pacing again. "Vampire or not, she's still my daughter and he hurt her."

The emotions welling up inside her, crashing over her, relief and rage and loss, with so many others mixed in. To know that the one who'd hurt her wasn't her biological father and that her bio dad loved her still, she felt a small piece of her broken self slipping back into place, though the shape of it altered. Her parents, the ones who'd donated their genetic material to create her, they loved her, wanted her, vampire or not.

"I'm sorry, Elena." John sat down on the coffee table so that he could see her face, but not be near enough to make her feel threatened. "I'm so sorry."

"How did you find me?" Elena whispered.

"Your mother, Isobel Fleming. We became so desperate for answers that she got herself turned into a vampire, because we figured the only place you could be hidden so well would be among the supernatural. Anyway, about two weeks ago, she heard a rumor about some goings on here that I might be interested in. I came down once she confirmed it was you people were talking about and not Katherine."

"My mom's a vampire?"

"Yes, she became one for you."

"Even though she knew she couldn't come back from that."

"You're our daughter. There's nothing we wouldn't do for you." John reached out slowly, taking Elena's hand in his. "I would have done it, but Isobel knew she could make a better go of being a vampire than I could."

Elena finally relinquished her grip on Elijah and shifted so that she was seated beside him once more.

"Do you hate vampires too?"

"I did. But during our search for you, I realized something."

"And what's that?"

"That I don't care what species you are. You're my daughter."

Elena listened to his heart, waiting for it to skip a beat, but the rhythm remained steady.

"Vampire or human, I love you." John stood up and took his chair on the other side of the coffee table.

"You really mean that, don't you?"

"Yes." John hung his head. "What did my brother do to you to make you not trust?"

"Elijah and Enzo are the only people I trust implicitly right now."

"Enzo. He's a vampire?" John snorted. "I might have known. Which means Jenna and the others know where you are."

"I was locked up with him. It was his blood who turned me and I've been in contact with the others. But they don't know exactly where I am and we weren't sure how you'd handle the news, what with how you treated Anna."

"You're my daughter, Elena."

"How does that make me different?"

"Because I love you."

"Grayson claimed to love me too."

"I've got no answers as to why he did this to you." John shook his head. "I don't know. I just don't know. But I can't imagine any situation that would make me love you less than I did the first time I held you in my arms. You could be the most bloodthirsty vampire on the planet and I'd still love you. Yes, I'd be disappointed, but I'd still love you."

Elijah rubbed her arm and Elena grabbed his free hand in both of hers.

John's phone vibrated and he pulled it out of his pocket.

"Your mother, she wants to meet you."

Elena looked at Elijah.

"It's up to you, Elena."

"Tomorrow. I need to go to my room now." Elena stood up. Turning to John, she said, "It's nothing you did. I just can't be around people for long."

"Of course. So tomorrow, I'll bring Isobel around. What time would be best for you?"

"Noon." Elena replied and hurried up to her room.

Elena curled up in her bed and pulled the blankets over her head, but she tuned in to the conversation between Elijah and John.

"What happened to her?" John asked softly. His voice sounded further away, as though he was moving towards the door.

"That's her story to tell and she can hear you."

"Right. I'm sorry. I just want to know what happened to my daughter. What sort of life I sentenced her to by giving her to my brother."

"Earn her trust, John."

"How?"

"She's a wounded bird and the best way to get close to her is remember that."

"She trusts you."

"Our relationship is complicated and she's so vulnerable right now, it can't be up for discussion."

"It's not just that she trusts you, you care about her."

"Very much so."

"Good. As long as people care about her, I'll take things as slow as she needs."

"We're all taking things slow with her, letting her decide the pace of the relationships."

"Okay. So just be around and she'll eventually be able to spend more time with us."

"I'll arrange for you and Isobel to have a place to stay at our expense."

"That won't be necessary."

"I insist."

"If you say so."

"Go to The Palace Royale. I'll arrange for two rooms for you and one of the nightwalkers, Josh Rosza, will be by this evening to show Isobel around the Quarter so she can feed. I expect her to meet him. Failure to do so will make me less likely to allow her in the house and near her daughter. Elena needs people who can keep their word and follow instruction. He's trying to earn a daylight ring so this is especially important to him."

"I'll pass the word. And thank you."

"You're her parents and you want to be there for her. It's the least I can do to help."

"So, tomorrow at noon, provided Isobel follows your emissary's instructions."

"Yes."

"I will see you then."

A door closed, then a few seconds later, the bed dipped as Elijah sat down beside her.

"I suppose I should have knocked."

"It's okay." Elena pulled the blankets down to her chin.

"How are you feeling?"

"I don't know."

"You've endured a great shock, and everything you thought you knew has been shaken up."

"Will you," she swallowed, "will you hold me?"

"Of course." Elijah toed off his shoes and hung his jacket over the back of the chair.

He crawled into bed beside her and Elena curled into his side, clinging to him. What happened now? Now that her parents weren't who she thought they were and they wanted her in their lives? What did that mean for her?

"Nothing changes, if you don't want things to. You still have a place here with us. You are still our family," Elijah murmured against her hair. "Nothing will happen that you don't want to with them. They come or they go on your word."

"You promise?" She hated how needy she sounded, how desperate.

"I swear it, lovely Elena. We will never throw you out or cast you aside. You're one of us, a Mikaelson. And we stand by our family, always and forever."


	21. Chapter 21

Noon approached much more quickly than it normally did. Or at least it seemed to. Meeting a woman she didn't remember, but happened to be her birth mother, the thought filled her with trepidation.

"Breathe, Elena." Elijah cupped her shoulders and drew her against his chest. "You'll be okay. If it helps, when she met with Josh, she talked about how much she wanted you in her life, how much she dreamed of meeting you again."

"What if I'm not enough?"

"You are."

Elena shook her head. "I don't feel like it."

"Because Grayson couldn't get his head out of his dogma enough?" He squeezed her arms gently. "That's a reflection on him, not you, proof who and what he loved more. He loved the Council and everything they stood for more than he loved his own family. But John was able to overcome that same training."

"He didn't give me up because he didn't want me. He sacrificed a life as my father to try to make sure I had the best life possible."

"Exactly."

Unfamiliar high heels clicked on the courtyard paving stones and Elena drew a deep breath.

"I'll be with you the entire time."

"I know." Elena turned and cupped Elijah's cheek. "You're a man of your word."

"Always." Elijah caught her hand, holding it to his face a moment longer. "And forever."

Releasing his grip, he situated her hand into the crook of his elbow.

"How do I look?"

Elijah's eyes trailed up and down her form, from the royal blue sheath dress Rebekah helped her select, to the black flats, and finally over the subtle makeup Sage had applied.

"Well?" Elena fought the urge to fidget under his careful perusal.

"You look lovely as ever."

When Elena entered the sitting room, she found John and an unfamiliar woman sitting on the couch. The dark haired, hazel eyed woman was beautiful, and her entire being radiated confidence. Isobel.

The other vampire stood up slowly, but made no move to approach.

"Hello, Elena."

"Isobel," Elena whispered.

She froze, unable to move or even think as her eyes met the gaze of the woman who'd given birth to her. This was her mother. Both her parents were in the same room she was and they said that they loved her. After shutting herself off for so long to parental love, it felt odd to come face to face to it with it now, though with different people than the ones who raised her.

"Perhaps we should sit down." Elijah's voice managed to break through her shock.

Elena numbly allowed him to guide her to the loveseat while Isobel resumed her place next to John.

"Would you care for a drink?" Elijah asked with a gentle pat on Elena's knee.

"Please."

Inclining his head, Elijah walked over to the drinks cabinet. Taking out two tumblers, he poured out some bourbon and carried them over to the guests.

"Thanks." Isobel lifted a glass and took a sip.

Elijah sat down beside Elena then and crossed his legs, the picture of ease. Though Elena thought she knew him well enough to see a subtle tension in his shoulders and in the set of his jaw. Did he not like them? Or was he worried about stressing her out?

"I'll have to admit, that in all my dreams of finding you, Elena, the home of the Original vampires never featured."

"They're good to me," Elena breathed. She glanced at Elijah and smiled, "Especially Elijah. He's the best."

"I'm- I'm glad."

Elena pressed herself against Elijah, her nerves getting the better of her.

"I am curious how you managed to become a vampire, Isobel," Elijah commented, drawing the attention away from Elena for a moment. "It's usually a bit more difficult than just wanting to be one. Finding us is usually a bit harder than that."

Elena squeezed his hand in thanks. He understood her, knew her better than anyone in her life right now, especially when she needed attention drawn away from her for a moment.

"Two vampire brothers that John was aware of came into town just before Elena disappeared, Damon and Stefan Salvatore. John put me into contact with them, and Damon obliged."

"Damon," Elena said, the name clicking in her head. "You were turned by my creator's best friend/nemesis."

"What do you mean?" Isobel asked, curious.

"Damon was locked up by the Augistines back in the fifties. He and Enzo made plans to escape together, but when the time came, Damon abandoned Enzo." This was okay, reciting facts that had nothing to do with her. No one could pry into her feelings of this, because it didn't really affect her.

"Of course he was." Isobel shook her head. "I was two steps from you this whole time. All I had to do was pry into that jackass's past and I'd have found something to look into, a way to possibly find you."

"Do you regret becoming a vampire?" Elena had to know. Being surrounded by vampires who'd lived for centuries made her feel small sometimes, but talking to her mother, who'd turned after she did, it gave her a strength she didn't know she had.

"It led me back to you, so no." Isobel smiled. "And now, I'll have decades, centuries to be a mother to you."

"You don't have to make up for anything, I swear."

"It's not about making things up to you, it's about being what I should have been all along." She held up her hand, her lips curling into a small smile. "I won't hover. But I'll always be there for you, for however long I live."

"That'd be nice." Elena rested her head on Elijah's shoulder.

Isobel studied her for a long moment, long enough that Elena fought the urge to squirm.

"Doppleganger or not, you do look like us," Isobel said finally. "Don't you think so, John?"

"Yes, we do look like family."

Elena found herself smiling at that. To be able to reclaim her face, at least a little, by having her parents see bits of themselves in her features, it felt nice.

"So, what were you before you became a vampire?"

"I was a professor, at Duke University. I taught Comparative Folklore." Isobel's face softened as she spoke, lost in her memories. "I was married and while I loved my husband and enjoyed my career, my first priority was you, and when you went missing, my focus became finding you, no matter what I had to give up."

"Becoming a vampire is kind of permanent though."

"It was worth it. Because if I hadn't become a vampire, I never would have heard where you were."

Elijah ran his hand slowly up and down Elena's back, soothing away the tension she didn't realize that had formed between her shoulder blades.

"I didn't realize how spoiled I was about seeing able to see you until you were no longer skating." Isobel's hands flexed, as though she wanted to reach across the coffee table. "I was so proud of you when you took to the ice. It gave me a way to connect to you without intruding on your life. I even went to several of your meets and cheered as loudly as I could."

"Skating made me happy," Elena said. "You saw me at my happiest."

"I know. I could see it, how you lit up on the ice." Isobel's eyes shown with unshed tears. "You were spectacular."

"Thanks."

"Watching you, it was torture though, because I couldn't tell anyone that you were my daughter and that I was so proud of the woman blossoming in front of us."

"I'm not her anymore, though, am I?" Elena shrank in on herself a little.

"That doesn't mean you can't become who you were meant to be. Vampire or not, you're still you and even though one dream was forced to die, that doesn't mean you can't be you. You just have to find a new dream, a new place for yourself."

"I'm working on that and Elijah's been great about helping me."

Elena looked up at him and smiled. How different her life was now that she was free, being protected by one of the strongest vampires in the world and his equally powerful family. How many people could claim that? Not many.

"I'm glad you've got friends." Isobel raised an eyebrow when Elena pressed her cheek against Elijah's chest for a moment. "Healing like this needs a strong support system."

"I try my best," Elijah said. "Elena's a gentle soul and it makes it easy to want to help her heal.

"What the-?" Isobel's face froze and her eyes went wide with shock.

"What's wrong?" Elena tightened her grip on Elijah's arm.

"Are you," Isobel looked from Elena to John to Elijah, then Elena again, "are you pregnant? Don't lie to me, Elena. I can hear the heartbeat."

Elena looked up at Elijah, shaking her head, her anxiety spiking. This wasn't something she wanted to talk about, not with someone she'd just met. How could she explain this?

 _Please. Please. Don't make me explain this. This wasn't supposed to come up yet. Please._

"Elena?" John slid forward in his seat. "What happened?"

"After-" She brought her hand to her mouth and fought back a sob. "I can't. I can't."

Brows furrowing, Elijah wrapped his arm around her, drawing her close. Digging her fingers into his jacket, Elena pressed her face against his throat, inhaling his scent. Warmth, blood, safe, protection, Elijah.

"Breathe, Elena. You're safe, I swear it." Elijah kissed her forehead. "You're safe."

Talking about what Davenport did to her ripped her open, especially after the recent upheavals John and Isobel brought into her life. Their arrival into her life had ripped her foundations out from under her. Why did Isobel have to notice things? No. This couldn't be happening. Not now.

"Tell me, what did my brother do to you?" John pleaded.

"It wasn't him," Elijah said. "He was dead when it happened. Science has an interesting way of interfering with magic, even if it can't undo it completely."

"You got pregnant in that lab," Isobel said, rage twisting her face up.

This wasn't part of the plan, talking about how she got pregnant wasn't what she wanted from this meeting. Now that people she wasn't ready to know knew what happened to her, it left her feeling completely exposed. She needed to get away, to escape to hide.

"Yes," Elijah agreed. "The resulting pregnancy caused ripples among the spirits of nature, one of them being my sister, Freya, having visions. That's how we found Elena and that's all you need to know about it, all Elena can handle people knowing."

"I need to lie down," Elena found herself saying.

She stood up, but swayed on her feet. She couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't breathe.

"Elena?"

Elijah cupped her elbow, turning her towards him, but she couldn't respond. Her brain couldn't comprehend anything and she had no desire to try.

"Is she in shock?" Isobel asked.

"She is. Elena, I'm hoping you can hear me, because I'm going to pick you up and carry you upstairs." He examined her face carefully, then scooped her into his arms.

"What happened to her in that lab?" Isobel asked from somewhere far away.

"They won't go into detail," John replied, his voice strangled. "I didn't even know she was pregnant."

Once Elijah laid her on her bed, Elena curled up beneath the blankets and wrapped her arms around her pillow. Nothing registered, nothing except for her need to hide. Don't let anyone hurt her, don't feel. Nothing mattered. Nothing except find safety.

Exhaling heavily, Elijah tucked the blankets more snugly around her shoulders and sat down beside her, watching her.

What could he do? She carried his child, but talking about how she got pregnant traumatized her to the point where she shut down. Was he asking too much of her by wanting her to carry the evidence of her rape to term?

He thought she was healing, that she started to even love the baby, his baby. But this shutdown, it made him question everything. Did this mean losing his child? The thought of losing the baby that shouldn't exist, it ripped at his heart and his throat tightened, but seeing Elena so broken, was it worth it? His child though. He couldn't lose his baby. Not his little girl!

Elijah ran his hand up and down her arm, wishing he could do more to help her, to take some of the pain from her. It wasn't fair.

He never should have suggested this. He shouldn't have gone with them to rescue her so she'd never know how he felt about the baby. The only reason she went through with this in the first place was because of him. If he hadn't been there, the baby Elena carried would have only been a thought that'd cloud his thoughts once in a while, not someone real that he would mourn for the rest of his life.

Was he hearing his baby's last heartbeats? Would he forever bear the scar of hearing his child, but never getting the chance to hold her? With every beat, another dream he'd constructed around his daughter faded. Her first smile, her first words, first steps, it all felt like too much to ask of the woman carrying her.

Elena deserved more than this, more than being coerced to go through with something forced on her in a lab. He couldn't do this to her. As much as he ached for his child, Elena meant too much to him now to ask this of her. Even considering asking her to continue with the pregnancy, it felt so selfish, so cruel of him.

As he thought this through, he realized something. He wouldn't just be losing his baby, he'd be forced to let her go too, because if she terminated the pregnancy, he couldn't bear to be near her. He wouldn't be able to look at her and not think of his daughter's heartbeat in her womb. A thousand years after the dream dying, only to have it come back and slip through his fingers, it was a punch in the gut that he would never fully recover from.

He'd take care of her, make sure she had everything she ever wanted or needed, just for trying. But he'd never be able to be near her again and that felt like another dream dying. He hadn't admitted it until now, but he'd been falling in love with her.

Just being near her made him happy, and he'd enjoyed watching her slowly blossom and he'd let her in. After everything, after all the pain he'd been through already, he'd let her in and it was all over now. His dreams of fatherhood and having Elena in his life, they would be left unfulfilled, wisps of smoke he thought he could capture, only for them to fade in his grasp.

Elijah's heart shattered, even though he knew it was the only thing he could do. When she finally rode out this wave of pain, and was able to speak again, he'd give her an out and he would say goodbye.

With her parents in her life, she could heal and blossom without him. When she woke up, she would do the right thing. It was time to set Elena free.


	22. Chapter 22

Elena deeply inhaled as she came around to herself once more. Tears? Why did she smell tears? Turning her head, she found herself met with the sight of Elijah sitting on the edge of her bed, crying. Seeing the one who'd been her stronghold and sanctuary since he'd rescued her in tears, it frightened her, especially how fragile the breakdown left her feeling.

"Elijah? What's wrong?" Elena whispered. "Why are you crying?"

Elijah blinked, startled as he faced her and Elena propped herself up on her elbow, studying him.

"What?"

"You're crying. Why?"

"I should have never asked you to do this." Elijah's voice cracked, and he winced.

"Do what?"

"The pregnancy. I never should have encouraged you to go through with it."

"What are you talking about?" He thought this episode was just because of the baby?

"You shut down, just being asked about how it happened." He pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled deeply. "Seeing that, it threw it in my face just how selfish I was to even consider asking you to do this."

"Elijah, shut up," Elena caught his hand, pulling it away from his face.

"Excuse me?"

"Shut up."

Leaning forward, she pulled his handkerchief out of his front pocket and dabbed it against his cheeks.

"You weren't supposed to see me like this." He looked down, his mouth pursed, as embarrassment radiated off of him.

"I'm glad I did." Elena lay back down and curled her arm under her head as she looked up at him. "So you can get this stupid idea out of your head, that you're making me do this, or whatever's going through that thick skull of yours."

"Elena." He looked at the floor, as though unable to meet her gaze.

"No, Elijah," Elena cut him off, her voice soft. "We've had this conversation already and I'm not changing my mind."

"I don't understand how you could want this. Isobel asked about how it happened and you shut down." His face twisted and he shook his head. "You're hurting deeply, because of what I asked you to do, because to you, this child is nothing but a continued reminder of the trauma you endured."

Elena tugged him down so that they lay on the bed facing each other.

"My entire time in the lab was traumatic and that final thing was just the cherry on top of the rest of the slice and dice crap they did." She placed his hand on her stomach, over where their baby lay. "Yes, the how was terrible, but it wasn't her father that hurt me."

Slowly, Elena ran her thumb along the crease between his finger and thumb and brought it close to her face to examine it more carefully. His large hands, that had killed so many people, that tortured even more, brought her nothing but safety and comfort.

"My daughter's father is a good man, kind, gentle, and protective, who would do anything for his family, who takes on whatever burden he feels he has to to keep them safe. I couldn't have asked for a better person to have a baby with."

"Elena, you shut down after being forced to think about what was done to you. How can you possibly want to do this for yourself?"

"Think about what was going on just then. I found out I was adopted yesterday and that the man who tortured me was actually my uncle, not to mention that the woman who gave birth to me is someone I've never seen before. Being asked about the darkest time in my life after all that, it overwhelmed me. It had nothing to do with the pregnancy itself."

"I just don't want to see you break like that again."

"Elijah, listen to me. I want this baby. I'm- I'm- I love her." Elena examined their joined hands for a long moment. She smiled even as tears formed in her eyes. "I love her."

Elijah cupped her cheek, brushing a tear away, a smile playing around his lips.

"I love my baby." A sob broke from her chest and she laughed. "I love her."

Her hands moved so that she was cradling her belly. Beneath her palms, the miracle she didn't know she wanted until she was safe, grew. Her heart swelled with more love than she thought she was capable of. Was this how Elijah felt about the baby? If so, it was no wonder he was so desperate for her to live.

"My baby." She glanced up at Elijah, suddenly shy. "Our baby."

When people normally had a child together, it was the result of sex, not because of a freaky lab experiment using the DNA of two people who didn't want it to happen. Yet, here she was, pregnant, and she'd never even been kissed before. Too much time out on the ice as a human and then in the lab after she died saw to that. The closest she'd ever come to sharing her bed with a man was here, in the moment, with Elijah, and it felt right.

"She's truly a miracle." Elijah licked his lips, as though nervous. "Our little girl is just like her mother, defying all the odds to come into my life."

Elena blinked, her brows furrowing as she considered something that she hadn't had time to consider until now. "Wow."

"Penny for your thoughts."

"If I can feel love for my baby after the horror that brought her into being, how must my mother feel about me?" Elena looked at Elijah, her eyes wide as she considered this. "She sacrificed a human life, her hopes, dreams, and possibly connections with people she loved, just to find me."

"You want to get to know her."

"Yes." Elena chewed on her lower lip. "We both lost so much. And I-"

"You want to try to reclaim a part of what you've lost." Elijah caught one of her hands in his.

Elena ducked her head, burying her face into her pillow. "It makes me sound pathetic when you put it like that."

"No, you're not pathetic." Elijah traced the backs of his fingers along her hairline. "Trying to heal, to put the pieces of your life back together, that takes strength, especially with what you've been through."

"Thanks. You're sweet."

"It's nothing but the truth." His lips curled up into a small smile. "Shall I invite her again?"

"I'd like that." Elena grabbed his arm. "Wait. Could- could your siblings be around? Maybe having a buffer of people I know will make it easier to get to know her."

"How does tomorrow night sound? I know my siblings are free then, so they should be able to work that in easily."

"That sounds good."

He pulled out his phone and typed a message.

"You're still worried about me."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because," Elena rubbed her stomach absently with her free hand, "she's my mother. I owe her this chance, her and John both. I know if I were to leave and come back, I'd like the chance to get to know my baby. So, I have to at least try for my mother."

"You're compassion is a gift, Elena." Elijah drew their joined hands to his lips and pressed a lingering kiss against the back of her hand.

Then, to her shock, Elijah flipped her hand over and, closing his eyes, pressed his lips to her palm. He followed that by caressing along her pointer finger with his nose, the faint stubble on his cheek a pleasant rasp.

"To be on the receiving end of that compassion, it's incredible."

"You saved me, Elijah." Elena brushed her thumb across his cheek. "And you didn't walk away when you realized just how much of a fight it'd be to help me heal."

"How can one who's endured so much, be so kind?"

"Because I know what it's like to hurt, why would I want to make someone else feel that kind of pain?"

"Oh, Elena." Elijah leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You deserve all the love in the world and perhaps this will be what you need to heal."

"What do you mean?"

"The mother who gave up everything to find you and the father who hasn't turned his back on you even though you're a vampire and he was raised to hate them." Elijah studied her face for a long moment. "Proof that you're worthy of love and that the ones who harmed you were wrong about you."

Elena cocked her head, considering what he said.

"You'll believe me, one day, that you deserve love as much as you ever did."

Elena smiled, but her eyes filled with tears again.

"Damned pregnancy hormones," Elena muttered, rubbing her eyes.

"Today seems to be the day for tears, including mine and I don't have that excuse."

"Yeah, well, you got it into your head that I was going to do something I already said I wouldn't do."

"I suppose it is rather foolish in retrospect." He sighed. "I honestly thought I'd be saying goodbye to you by now."

"Maybe I'm not ready to say goodbye to you." Elena bit her lip at her admission. But lying here beside him, she couldn't bring herself to apologize for wanting to be near him.

"Good." Elijah reached out and pulled her into his arms, so that she lay sprawled across his chest, her ear against his heart.

"Next time you have doubts about me, about the baby, talk to me. Be honest. Don't hide because you think I can't handle it. I'm stronger than I was." She snorted once. "I know this episode might make you want to think differently, but I promise I can handle it."

"Honesty." Elijah hummed, low in his throat. "I'm not a good person, not as good as you think I am."

"I know the stories. Enzo told me." Elena found herself drawing shapes on Elijah's chest. "But anyone capable of the kindness you've shown me, of the love you give your family, that's all the good I ask for."

"It would be a shame to lose a soul as compassionate as yours."

"You see me strangely."

"Hmm. No, Elena." He kissed her forehead. "I see you for who you really are."

"If you say so." Like this, she felt safer than she ever had before and she found herself drifting towards sleep.

"I do say so."

Elena's breathing evened out, but Elijah couldn't bring himself to move. The conversation had gone in a completely different direction than he thought it would and now, the woman he loved and their child were safe in his arms. Almost against his will, Elijah found himself joining Elena in the land of dreams.

Freya sighed as she walked down the hall. Some people just couldn't keep their noses out of other people's affairs. Overhearing conversations not meant for them and then spreading that information around, if she had it her way, those responsible would suffer far more than the punishment they were given. All because of a few loudmouths, certain things had gotten out that shouldn't and now- Her mouth thinned considerably.

Elijah wasn't going to be happy when he heard about it and she dreaded how he might respond. For being so calm and collected most times, her noble brother wouldn't handle threats to his child very well.

She knocked twice on Elena's bedroom door, but received no answer, so she opened it a crack. To her surprise, she found her younger brother and the young vampire who'd come to depend on him fast asleep in each other's arms

With a fond smile, Freya pulled his shoes off and threw a light blanket over them.

Elena moaned softly, her brow furrowing, and pressed herself into Elijah a little more, but other than that, they remained asleep.

Was it possible that Elijah was finally healing from the heartbreak he'd endured after the mess with Hayley and Jackson? If that was the case, who better for him to move on with than the mother of his child?

Once Elena healed, Freya got the feeling she'd be a good match for her brother, at least if her interviews were anything to go by. While it was true that people changed, the fact that Elena refused to leave her friend behind when she was rescued, even after enduring what she had, it spoke volumes.

Once she was sure they weren't going to wake up, she left the room.

"Did you tell him?" Finn whispered.

"They're asleep. We'll talk when they wake up. But for now, we can handle it. Let them rest."


	23. Chapter 23

"You mean, the vampires who were in town looking for me now know I'm pregnant?" Elena looked from one person to the next. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around her middle, as if to protect the tiny life growing inside, and Elijah wrapped his arm around her shoulders in response.

The Mikaelsons, her parents, Hayley and Jackson, along with a pretty young witch, with blue eyes, dark hair, and olive skin, Davina Claire, flanked by a handsome black man, Vincent Griffith, sat around the living room. Those who knew she was pregnant before this wore expressions of concern on their faces, while those who had just learned of the pregnancy seemed more stunned than anything.

Elijah wrapped his hands around her upper arms and pulled her against his chest.

"How did they find out?" Elijah's fury radiated through the tension in his body.

"Oliver came over here yesterday, against orders and overheard parts of a conversation," Jackson said. "He started running his mouth to anyone who'd listen and some of the vampires who came in to try to get a piece of the doppelganger overheard him."

"Why does it matter to him if Elena's pregnant?" Isobel asked. "She's a vampire who's only been in town for what, two months? And kept to herself the entire time."

"He's got a crush on her," Jackson admitted. "From the day he saw her dancing in the rain, he's had it bad."

"And now, thanks to him, every vampire in the world will want to know how she got pregnant when it should be impossible," Finn said. "She's been through enough without this."

"It's a good thing Elena doesn't like to leave the compound." Freya rubbed her temples and shook her head. "Perhaps a transfer of ownership of the place is in order and a new set of spells put around it will be enough, at least for now."

"Is there anything else we need to know?" Hayley asked. She looked from Elena to Elijah, her brows furrowed and hazel eyes sad.

"Elena is here, under our protection for as long as she likes," Elijah said. "Considering she's the only vampire woman to ever conceive, it's likely that she will never be truly independent of us."

"So much for a quiet dinner tonight," Elena mumbled. "I was supposed to be able to get to know my birth parents, not have to worry about mad scientists again."

"It will be alright," Elijah murmured against her hair. "Once we get this talked out, we will be able to relax."

"I just want to be left alone. I didn't ask for any of this."

"We know." Sage walked over to her and stopped a few feet away. Sitting on her heels, she caught Elena's eye. "Listen to me, Elena. What happened to you was awful, and that people are trying to replicate it is even worse, but you've got us and we're not going anywhere."

"Mad scientists?" Jackson's face scrunched in confusion.

"Elena was impregnated in a lab," Keelin said.

"In a lab, like a science experiment?" Vincent looked from Freya to Elena, his brows raised.

"Yes, in a science experiment. I was nothing but a vampire lab rat." Bile rose in her throat as the memories tried to force themselves to the surface.

"Can it be done again? A vampire getting pregnant?" Hayley asked.

"If it were possible to replicate, I'd be pregnant by now," Rebekah said. Marcel squeezed her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Elena studied them for a long moment. Rebekah. She'd clearly been hoping that Elena's pregnancy meant she'd be able to have a baby as well. Only it didn't work out that way and now two of her four living brothers were fathers while she was still childless. It didn't seem fair, especially since she wanted it so desperately.

Keelin nodded. "The only reason it worked the one time is because-"

"Because they just so happened to get the right components necessary to bypass the magic preventing us from procreating," Elijah cut her off with a warning look. "One such element being that Elena is a Petrova doppelganger and it was a doppelganger's blood that turned us into what we are."

"And nature won't allow another such child to exist. The loophole is now closed," Freya added. "We've researched it in depth, but the fact that it happened at all, it's a fluke, all because one insane doctor-"

"Can we not talk about the how anymore?" Elena whispered. "Please."

"Right, I'm sorry." Freya cleared her throat. "Anyway, We are claiming this child as a Mikaelson in effort to deter anyone who might otherwise harm Elena or her daughter. So an attack against them, it's is an attack against us."

"The baby is a witch," Davina commented, her gaze fixated on Elena's middle. "I can feel her. She's one of us."

"I don't have magic in my family." Elena bit her lip when she realized what she'd said. She was pretty much giving it away that her baby's father had magic in his blood.

 _Please, please, please, don't ask about the father._

"Actually, you do," Kol corrected. "Petrovas are Travelers. Cursed witches. And from what I gathered, they were able to break their curse right before you got pregnant, so now your daughter has the magic no one in your family has had for centuries."

"Okay, I did not know that." Elena trembled in Elijah's arms. Elijah rubbed her arm and tucked her head under his chin..

"Will you be okay?" Elijah studied her face, searching for signs of another breakdown.

Elena nodded. "Just everyone not talk to me for a second."

Elena dug her fingers into his shirt, inhaling deeply. Safe, comfort, Elijah.

"I wanna beat the shit out of Oliver," Jackson snarled in a low aside to his wife.

"I warned him to stay away from her," Hayley whispered in reply.

"They want to lock me up in a lab again." Her throat tightened and tears spilled from her eyes. "They want to cut me open and inject me with things and hurt my baby."

"What the hell did they do to her?" Jackson breathed, horrified.

"They can't hurt you here. I won't allow it," Elijah said softly. "I will do everything in my power to make sure no deranged scientist gets their hands on you."

"You can't guarantee that."

"Perhaps not." Elijah exhaled through his nose, his breath stirring her hair. "But I can guarantee that between my siblings and our allies, anyone who tries to do anything will have to get through an army to get to you."

"Do you swear it?"

"I give you my word." Elijah pressed his lips against her hair. "Breathe, lovely Elena. Breathe."

"No one was supposed to know about the baby until I was ready for them to know. I just wanted to be left alone." Elena hated that she was crying in front of people she didn't know, but the fear overwhelmed her and she pressed herself closer to him. "I just wanted to be left alone."

"I know, Elena, I know." He pulled away a little. "Do you want to go to your room?"

She shook her head. "Give me a minute. I'll be okay."

Elena inhaled a few more times, then scrubbed her hand across her face. Elijah handed her his handkerchief and Elena smiled at him.

"Don't push yourself, Elena," Keelin said. "Vampire or not, stress isn't good for the baby."

"I'm trying."

"Vince and I will help Freya put up boundary spells," Davina said. She raised an eyebrow at Elena, as if she figured out something she wasn't supposed to know. "That baby will be one of us when she's born, and we protect our own."

"Thanks."

"If that's the case, we won't have to transfer ownership after all," Freya commented.

"Good. That means Elena won't have to leave the house." Elijah rubbed his hand up and down her arm.

"I'll have my guys keep an eye out on any newcomers we come across," Jackson said.

"Between your wolves and our nightwalkers, we should be able to keep track of everyone and what they're doing in the area." Klaus took a sip of his bourbon.

"The witches will do our part."

"You're putting your lives on the line for me. What if some of your people get killed?" Elena shrank in on herself. "I'm not worth that."

"You're family now," Rebekah said. "We don't walk away from that."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" John asked. "Elena's my daughter and I failed her once. I don't want to fail her again."

"The best thing you can do for her is to keep your ears open and stay safe," Elijah said. "Elena needs you and Isobel in her life as her parents. I'd rather her healing not be impeded by this turn of events and your being here will help with that."

"Whatever she needs."

It was too much.

"You are worth protecting, Elena." Elijah pulled her close, pressing his cheek against her hair, and, to her shame, Elena realized she'd said it out loud.

"I'm just a newbie vampire you found in a lab and rescued."

"You're entirely innocent in all of this and don't deserve what they want from you," Finn said. "Allow us to keep you safe and to teach these ill-mannered children that they don't get to hurt whoever they want to get what they want from people."

Elena looked around the room at the people willing to go to war for her.

"Alright, I think it's time to get the word out," Jackson stood up. "Since Oliver was the reason this got out, I'm gonna put him on double duty."

"I'm sorry, Elena." Hayley looked down, brows furrowed. "I thought I had it bad when I was pregnant, with all the witches and crap. But this, gah. I'm gonna beat the shit out of Oliver for bringing this back into your life."

"From what I heard, your monsters were just as bad." Elena tapped her temple. "Besides, a lot of mine are in my head. So I'd say, danger wise, you had it worse."

"You're sweet." Hayley nodded once and then, she and her husband left the room.

"When do we get started?" Davina asked Freya as she got to her feet.

"Tomorrow night is the full moon. So be here at sunset."

"Alright." Davina turned her attention to Elena. "May I tell the witches that your baby has magic? It will rally them to your side if they know she's a witch."

Elena nodded once. "Whatever it takes to keep her safe."

"Alright." Davina gave her a half smile. "We'll do what we can for you."

Once the visitors, aside from Elena's parents were gone, Kol said, "Another day, another supernatural drama."

"Is it always like this?" Elena asked.

"Not always." Finn stretched his legs out and leaned back in his seat. "Things were fairly quiet for decades after Freya joined us. But the births of unusual children tend to have a ripple affect."

"I'd better have a talk with our vampires, let them know what's going on. I'll be back later." Klaus drained his tumbler and flashed away.

"And I've got to prepare for tomorrow night," Freya stood, "so I'm afraid that's it for me too."

"Elena, do you still write?" John asked.

Elena shook her head. "I haven't touched a pen and paper since I was turned."

"That's a shame. I remember the stories you used to come up with."

"Kinda lost the inspiration."

"I didn't know you liked to write." Elijah braced his elbow on his knee.

"I kept a journal, up until the day I died and there was a time when I wanted to be a writer once I retired from skating."

"I got you something." John reached into a purse at Isobel's feet that Elena hadn't noticed before. After shifting a few items around, he pulled out a dark red, leather bound book and set it on the table. "I wasn't sure if you wanted to start journaling again, but if so, I thought you might like this."

Elena reached over and picked it up. Opening it up, she allowed the familiar scent of leather and paper to envelope her, though to her new nose, it was so much stronger, so much deeper.

"It's beautiful. Thank you."

"I forgot to get a pen along with it, sorry about that."

"We can take care of that." Elijah smiled at her.

"It would be nice to start writing again." Elena flipped slowly through the empty pages, wondering how things might change for her between now and when she finished it.

"New life, new journal," John said.

Elena felt herself shrinking inwardly. All this attention focused on her left her feeling exposed and she found herself looking around wildly, needing someone to start talking about someone, something other than her.

Elijah gave a small jerk of his chin towards Kol and he nodded once.

"You should see all the journals Elijah's collected over the centuries." Kol grinned, dark eyes filled with mischief. "I swear my brother wrote enough to fill a library."

Elena laid her head against Elijah's shoulder as the conversation started flowing around her and she found herself relaxing. As the tension faded from her muscles, Elijah wrapped his arm more securely around her shoulders and Elena allowed herself to sink into his embrace.

It felt right, being here with Elijah, and cared for by him. Was it silly of her to wish that their baby had been conceived naturally, to know what it was like to be kissed by him, to feel his skin against hers?

She bit her lip as the thought crossed her mind. There was no point in going there. Elijah cared about her, but it was the baby he wanted more. To dream of more would only be asking for heartbreak, and after everything she'd been through, she didn't think she could handle more anytime soon.


	24. Chapter 24

Elena curled up in the arm chair in her room, writing in the journal John gave her. The late afternoon sun warmed her and she basked in it's rays as she wrote. It felt nice, being able to bring this part of her past back.

 _I've been here for_ _about two and a half months._ _I_ _think I'm starting to show_ _. I haven't felt her_ _kick_ _yet,_ _but I can hear her moving inside me,_ _like a little fish, flipping around in water._ _Honestly,_ _I think Elijah's more excited about this than I am._

"Elena."

Elena put her pen down and looked up in surprise. She hadn't heard him knock, so seeing Elijah now, it caught her off guard.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Could you teach me how to defend myself?"

"You want to learn how to fight?"

Elena nodded. "It'd make me feel safer if I could protect myself, at least a little bit."

Elijah pursed his lips, considering for a moment.

"Please?"

"If you insist." His lips curled up a little at the corners. "Meet me in the courtyard in five minutes. Wear something you can move around in."

Excitement rippled through her veins and she jumped out of her chair. Running to her closet, she shuffled through the racks until she found what she was looking for, a sports bra and matching pants. She dressed, then examined herself in the mirror, twisting from one side to the other. A bump that hadn't been there a few days ago pressed her stomach out just a little. Before she could talk herself out of it, she picked up a pair of athletic shoes and left the closet.

Why was she doing this? No, wait. Don't think about it. If she overthought it, she'd change her mind. She used to be comfortable dressing like this around people and she trusted Elijah.

After pulling on her shoes, she ran down the stairs to find Elijah had changed into workout gear of his own.

"That's a," she waved her hand towards his sleeveless shirt, "different look."

"Different clothes for different needs." His eyes focused on her lower belly, then looked her in the eye, a slow smile spreading across his face. He saw it, the baby making herself known.

"So, where do we start?"

"You were an athlete before, so your body already knows how to move."

Elijah circled her slowly and she found herself mimicking him. He threw a punch, slow enough that she could block it.

"Good. Just follow the same rhythms you did on the ice, except you're working with a partner this time."

"Who, in a real situation, would be trying to kill me."

"Exactly."

Over and over again, they moved, picking up speed with every near blow.

"You're catching on quick." Elijah stepped back and they circled each other again.

Elena caught her lower lip between her teeth and looked up at him. His normally well groomed appearance was disheveled and for a moment, she forgot to breathe. He was the sort of man who looked good in a suit, but like this, she just wanted to touch him.

"Are you alright?"

"If you're sure."

"I'm," she cleared her throat, "I'm good."

"Let's go again." Elijah stripped off his shirt and took a fighting stance.

As they sparred, Elena found herself distracted by the muscles shifting beneath his skin. He danced around her with the grace of any skater she'd ever seen and she found herself entranced by him. Elijah Mikaelson was truly a beautiful man.

"Don't tell me you've given up." He grinned.

"No." Elena kicked towards his head and he ducked.

"Good."

Elena went low, attempting to sweep his feet out from under him and he flipped out of the way.

Suddenly, Elijah sped towards her at top speed and wrapped his arms around her from behind, pressing his chest against her back. His hand came around to cradle her belly, right over where their daughter lay inside her. She could feel every ripple of his body and she found herself leaning into his solid form. His hand against his bare skin, it made her nerves tingle, made her want more, and it frightened her.

"You're starting to show." His breath stirred the soft hairs on her neck and Elena inhaled sharply.

"Why do you think I wore the clothing I did?"

"You wanted me to see my baby." He kissed her temple and sighed. "My daughter nestled inside you, your lovely body changing to allow her to grow, keeping her safe until she's ready to meet the world."

"I'm gonna get too big to move around very well soon, which will be strange, since I was turned when I was approaching the height of my career."

"Hmm." He rubbed small circles over her belly. "A vampire child. I wonder just how that will express itself once she's born."

Right then, two nightwalkers entered the courtyard, a male and female, both with dark hair.

Elena wanted to duck away, to hide from them, but Elijah remained relaxed, even though he didn't release his hold on her. Elena turned in his arms so that she was partially shielded by his body.

"Gia, Josh." He rubbed soothing circles over her lower belly. "Is something the matter?"

"I found this." Josh held up a small card. He kept looking at Elena as he spoke. "And Klaus said if we found anything unusual to let you guys know."

"Let me see."

Elijah held out one hand, an invitation to place the card in his palm, and Josh approached him slowly, looking from Elijah to Elena quickly.

"She won't bite."

Josh handed the card to Elijah and the older vampire flipped it over in his hand. As Elijah saw the owl symbol emblazoned across the front, every muscle in his body tensed.

"Where did you find this?" Elijah hissed.

"On a new vampire down at St. James Place. Aiden found it in his pocket after the guy picked a fight."

"Where is the vampire now?"

"He's, um, he's dead."

"That's unfortunate."

"What is it?" Elena whispered.

"The Strix."

"The who?"

"An organization I founded eight hundred years ago, in an effort to bring brilliant minds together for the betterment of the world, but was forced to abandon after Mikael caught us. It's now full of megalomaniac vampires who think they're better than everyone."

"And these people are after me?"

"So it would seem." To Josh, he said, "Thank you for bringing this to me. Spread the word to keep an eye out for more of them."

"You got it." Josh looked at Elena for a moment, his expression curious. He nodded once with a small smile, and then tugged Gia away as he headed towards the entrance.

Gia kept looking back over her shoulder at them, her expression one that shocked Elena. She'd been on the receiving end of jealous looks before as a skater, but to see this now, it shocked her. Was it because of the baby? Did she want a child and now that she saw Elena pregnant and hate her for the baby she carried?

"Come on." Elijah grabbed his discarded shirt and guided Elena inside the house. "I need to contact my siblings, because this means war."

"War?" Elena pulled away from him and grabbed his arm.

"Yes. I won't let them harm you or our child."

Having armies pitted against each other for her, for her baby, it terrified her. People were going to die, allies, potential friends, it felt wrong. She wasn't worth so many deaths, was she? But she didn't want to surrender to being forced back into a lab and having her baby forced to endure that.

"I give you my word, Elena," he cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb beneath her eye, "you will be safe, no matter what."

"Don't say that. I'm not worth a war."

"You are to me."

Elena looked away, unable to bear seeing the intensity in his dark eyes.

"Come on, let's get dressed. I'm going to text Finn to gather the family."

"I'm gonna," Elena swallowed and headed towards the stairs, "I'm gonna get changed."

In her room, Elena showered and dressed in a large sweater and jeans. She needed the protection of clothes that left her formless, as if people not being able to see the evidence of pregnancy in her body, her baby would be safe.

Her tiny baby, her and Elijah's daughter. She wasn't even born yet and the supernatural world was already tearing itself apart over her.

When she came down the stairs, Elijah's siblings and her parents were in the sitting room. Elena curled up beside Elijah, tucking herself as close against his side as she could and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He's changed as well during the time she got cleaned up, back to his normal suits and ties.

"What's going on?" Finn asked. "Your message made it sound like there's an emergency."

"The Strix seem to have heard about the baby." He held out the card for Finn to see.

"This means Tristan de Martel and Aya," Klaus snarled. "They plan to come into my town and attempt to harm my family."

"Why does this baby mean so much to you?" Isobel asked, her brow raised as she looked from Elena to Elijah.

Elijah looked at Elena, brows furrowed.

"The spirits of nature led us to her," Freya said. "They wanted us to protect Elena and her child, and during her time here, we've grown to care about her."

"So as far as we're concerned, she's family," Klaus added.

"We were just worried that it's just her baby you're after."

"We're here for whatever Elena needs," Rebekah spoke up. "Like Klaus said, she's family now."

"What's different about the Strix compared to the vampires from before?" John shifted in his seat.

"The Strix pride themselves on collecting the best of the best," Elijah explained. "Vampire or witch, they want the strongest they can get their hands on. They're smart, ruthless, and with a definite end game in mind, and the resources to carry it through."

"If they want the best of the best, a vampire pregnant with her witch baby would be something they'd want," John mused.

"Most definitely. To see if they can replicate it and if not, control the mother and child." Elijah nodded. "And they will not be so easily dissuaded as the others have been."

"I'm going to speak to Davina, let her know what's going on." Kol stood up. "She won't be happy that people are after someone she's already claimed as a part of her coven."

"You put a lot of trust in that witch," Isobel said.

"Because, though she won't admit it, she's falling for him," Sage said.

"You think so?" Kol raised an eyebrow as Finn's red haired partner.

"I've see the way she looks at you."

"Enough about the puppy love." Klaus rolled his eyes. "We've got things to do, people to kill."

"Right you are." Kol bowed and darted away.

Elena's phone buzzed and she pulled away from Elijah enough to take it out of her pocket.

"It's Enzo," Elena said as she opened the message.

"Elena?" Elijah placed his hand on her arm. "What is it?"

"Apparently word got to them about what happened to me." A shudder passed through Elena's frame and she handed her phone to Elijah so he could read the message. "No one's taking it well."

"That could be why Jenna tried calling me earlier," John said. "I ignored it though."

Another message vibrated her phone and Elijah said, "Damon seems to think we're holding you here against your will since you haven't tried to go to see your friends since your rescue."

"What does it matter to Damon Salvatore what happens to me?" Elena leaned her head against Elijah's shoulder. "I've never seen him before in my life."

"He's obsessed with Katherine and she doesn't want him, except to toy with him every once in a while," Isobel said. "If he transfers that fixation to you, it could complicate things."

Her phone buzzed again and Elijah handed it back to her.

When Elena took it, she saw Caroline's name on the screen as the sender, so she opened it up.

 _Are you actually pregnant?_

Elena replied with _Yes._

There was a pause and then another message. _Jenna wants to come see you. She's upset that she had to hear about this through rumors, instead of directly from you._

John's phone rang again and he walked towards the door as he answered it.

"Everything's falling apart," Elena whispered, wrapping her arms around her middle as she spoke. "It's just like before, people wanting a piece of me, just because they can. And once again, my options are limited because if I try anything, someone will get hurt."

"We knew what we were getting ourselves into when we rescued you," Keelin said.

"Most of us have been around for centuries. We knew it was going to mean trouble if it got out, but you didn't deserve what was being done to you," Freya added.

Keelin ran her hand up and down Freya's arm and Elena couldn't help but wonder just what sort of distress finding out about the baby did to her, what sort of visions she had.

John entered the room again, his brows furrowed, and said, "Jenna coming down here and I'm guessing she won't be alone. She wouldn't listen to me when I told her it wasn't a good idea so I told her to go to a hotel in town first, because Elena struggles with being around people. She wasn't happy, but she understood."

Elena's phone buzzed with several messages and she opened it.

"They're from Enzo." Her brain struggled to comprehend words, so she handed the phone to Elijah.

"Damon seems intent on coming down here as well. It seems he developed something of a friendship with Jenna, which Enzo suspects was because of her connection to you, and he's planning on coming down with Jenna, to convince you to go back with her."

"As if they can protect her," Klaus snorted. "I texted Hayley, telling her about the Strix. She'll have her wolves be on the lookout as well."

"And it gets worse." Elijah sighed.

"How can it possibly get worse?" Elena buried her face against Elijah's throat.

"Damon has admitted to having feelings for you."

"Why can't people just leave me alone? I want to be left alone. Your family and mine are okay, but no one else."

"If he proves to be too much trouble, I believe Niklaus has a place for _bothersome_ vampires to learn their lesson.

"That I do." Klaus smirked, looking out from under his lashes. "My garden has grown quite populated these days. All sorts of nasty little vampires thinking they can run amok in my town are cooling their heels for the next hundred years."

"I want to go lie down."

Elena stood up to leave the room, but she swayed on her feet. Elijah scooped Elena into his arms and she curled up against him. Her savior, her rock, her everything. As long as he held her, she was safe.


	25. Chapter 25

Elena lay on her side on the couch with her head resting on Elijah's thigh as he read a grimore. As he read, Elijah ran his fingers gently through her hair and Elena drifted in a sleepy lassitude under his caresses.

Her phone buzzed and she fumbled as she grabbed it off the nearby coffee table. On the screen was a notification of a text from Caroline. The blonde had been texting off and on throughout the day, but Elena hadn't replied to every every text and sometimes, she was very short with her.

 _Are you mad at me?_

Elena stared at the phone for a long moment, as she considered how to reply. People from her past were going to be in the city soon and the tension coiled in her gut at the reminder.

 _No. Not at you._

 _But you are upset._

What was she feeling and why?

"Is something wrong?" Elijah's hand stilled on her head.

"Caroline. She's hurt that I'm upset about her and the others coming down here." Elena rolled onto her back and looked up at Elijah.

"If she wants to be in your life, she's going to have to accept your terms."

 _I can understand my family and friends wanting to see me. But I wish you were doing it when you weren't putting yourselves at risk. Just about every vampire in the world is looking for me or looking for a way to get to me._

 _So it's a mess there?_

 _Yes. All vampires new to the area are being scrutinized. So be prepared for questions._

 _Damn. Jenna says we'll be in New Orleans in about an hour._

 _Don't expect to get to see me right away._

 _Damon says he knows where the compound is._

Rage flooded her system when she read that and she showed Elijah.

"Young vampires. So arrogant."

 _Tell Damon good luck getting passed the Mikaelsons._

 _Enzo laughed._

"He's obviously never encountered an Original if he thinks he can do what he wants." Elijah chuckled. "And he didn't make much of an impression if I can't remember him being here before. One trouble making young vampire is the same as the next."

Elijah's fingertips trailed over her lips and he swallowed thickly. Elena's breath quickened and she looked up into his dark eyes. He cradled her cheek, keeping his thumb resting against her lips and Elena leaned into his touch.

"Elena," he breathed.

"Did you find anything?" Freya entered the room, her voice breaking the spell that had woven around the pair and they both looked up.

"I believe so." Elijah shifted, as though embarrassed by being caught.

Flipping back through the book, he showed the page to Freya.

"This should work." Freya smiled as she read.

"What's the spell for?" Elena sat up, running her hand over her head, wishing she had hair to hide behind.

"We captured a member of the Strix and he's got protection spells keeping me out of his head."

"You're going to torture him." Elena wasn't sure how to feel about this, about them hurting someone on her account.

"We're going to remove the spells protecting his mind from me and if it hurts him, it's simply a side effect of the spell, not my intention."

"Okay." Elena nodded.

She didn't like people being hurt on her account, but it made her feel somewhat better that Freya wasn't purposely causing people pain just because she could. As if sensing her distress, Elijah ran his hand up and down her back.

"We'd better get to it, before they realize he's missing," Davina said from the doorway.

"You're helping with this?" Elena asked. Davina was so young, too young to be forced to harm someone.

"They're a threat to a New Orleans witch and not just any witch, but one in my coven."

"I'm sorry you have to do this. I didn't mean to cause trouble."

Davina cocked her head, studying Elena before saying, "You're really sweet, for a vampire."

Elena ducked her head, unsure of what to say.

"Alright, let's go." Freya picked up the book and the two witches left the room.

"Now, there's someone who's about my age when I died torturing people for me."

"She's a witch, the Regent of New Orleans, and the strongest of the Harvest girls."

"The Harvest." Elena scoffed. "Right, because killing four sixteen year old girls only to bring them back a few months later through some freaky sacrificial ritual every three hundred years is perfectly normal."

"It is to them."

Elena looked at him from the corner of her eye. What sort of bizarre world had she fallen into where dying and coming back months later was normal?

"I've seen it, Elena. It's strange and powerful magic."

"Magic is cruel." Elena wrapped her arms around her stomach and she curled in on herself. "And the baby is going to be a part of this madness. She's not going to have a choice about whether or not she wants to be involved. It's already a part of her."

"Would you deny her her birthright? Would you cut her off from half of herself, leaving her empty and disconnected from the world? Niklaus can tell you how that drove him to madness, to do monstrous things and the paranoia that inspired only lessened after his daughter was born."

"No." Elena shook her head. "I won't do that to her. I just wish I could protect her from it all."

"If we can get things settled down by the time she's born, the only threats after that will be far and few between."

"People putting themselves into danger for me, it feels wrong." Elena rubbed her hand over the tiny bump of their baby.

There was a faint brush from inside her, but it was so soft, Elena wasn't sure if it was wishful thinking or if it actually was the baby she was feeling. She was far enough along, that she should be able to start feeling it soon, but she held her tongue, just in case she was wrong.

"Maybe it's time people fought for you." Elijah traced the shell of her ear. "Let us fight for you, fight for the baby's chance to live."

"They could die and if they do, their blood will be on my hands."

How would she feel, seeing the grief in people's eyes, knowing that the only reason it was there was because they fought to protect the baby she carried?

"They're choosing to fight, Elena."

Someone knocked on the doorway and they turned towards the sound. Hayley entered the room, Hope on her hip.

"I hate to ask this, but could you watch Hope for the day?" Hayley kissed the little girl's head.

"Yeah, sure." Elena smiled at Hope and the little girl grinned widely, pointing as she looked up at her mother.

"Yes, that's Elena. You wanna play with her?" Hayley set Hope on the floor and set a diaper bag on the coffee table. "There's diapers, wipes, snacks, some toys, a change of clothes, and pjs, just in case. Along with anything else I could think of that she might need. If there's something that she needs that's not in there, there should be something in the nursery."

"I think we'll be fine, Besides, I used to babysit as a human when I had any downtime and if there's any problems, I can always text someone," Elena said.

"Okay. Thank you so much."

"You and your pack are protecting me, so it's the least I can do." She helped Hope up onto her lap.

Hope stood up, with Elena holding her by the waist so she didn't fall, and started patting Elena's face. She poked at Elena's eyes and Elena pulled the little girl's hands away gently.

"Besides, I've got to practice, 'cause I'll have a kid of my own in a few months. Though newborns are a little different than a toddler, I suppose."

"I'll be back in a few hours." Hayley waved to Hope, then flashed away

"Things have gotten worse, haven't they?" Elena glanced over at Elijah.

Hope nearly fell, so Elena helped her sit down on Elena's lap.

"Much worse." Elijah sighed. "Tristan's sister, Aurora—she has some sort of mental illness, bipolar disorder, I believe—was spotted in town a few days ago, but we can't find her now. She's unpredictable at best, and her goals even more difficult to figure out than her brother's."

"So that's why you've all been collecting grimores, to try to have spells that cover all the basis?"

"Yes."

Elena leaned over and pulled out a small stuffed monkey from the diaper bag. When Hope saw the toy, she reached for it and hugged it to her chest, babbling to it.

Elijah stood up.

"Are you leaving?"

Elena didn't want him to go. She needed him to stay, to remain nearby. Not just because he made her feel safe, but for him. Sometimes, the way he looked at her, it made her feel like a woman, instead of the terrified little girl who'd endured hell.

"I'll be staying around the house, but I'll be researching ways of protecting you and the baby from Aurora, so I will be busy."

"Okay. I think Miss Hope and I can entertain ourselves, can't we?" Elena tickled Hope and she giggled.

"You'll be a good mother."

"You don't know that." Elena looked up, meeting Elijah's gaze, the soft expression in his eyes, making her stomach flip.

"You're so caring, how could you be anything but?"

Elena ducked her head and turned her attention back to her young charge.

"I'll be around. Let me know if you need anything.

After a moment's indecision, Elena shifted Hope so she could stand, then picked up the diaper bag and headed towards the nursery. She set Hope on the floor and closed the door behind them.

"You wanna play with some toys?" Elena opened a small toy chest at the foot of the crib. "Yeah, let's play with your toys."

Elena found a plastic tea set and set it up, with stuffed toys for their guests. Hope clapped, delighted with their game.

Hope looked at Elena without pity in her eyes, as though she was just like every other person in her life and it felt good. To Hope, Elena had no past, had experienced no horrors, because she only started existing the first day they saw each other.

Some time later, Elena's phone buzzed and she checked the message to see it was from Caroline.

 _You weren't kidding. Security's crazy._

 _What happened?_

 _A group just stopped us. Got kinda pissy when we mentioned we wanted to see you. They calmed down when we told them who we were._

 _Be glad they were expecting you._

 _When do you think we'll be able to see you?_

 _Not sure. When I've got my head around the fact that you're here, I guess._

No text came for several minutes, so Elena returned to playing with Hope. Hope leaned over and grabbed a bear, pulling to to her, knocking over the tea set.

"Yanking guests across the table is considered rude in most places." Elena laughed as she reset it.

"Tell that to Niklaus," Elijah said from somewhere downstairs.

 _And Damon just made things worse_

 _What'd he do?_

 _Hint that you're being held against your will and we're here to rescue you._

 _Ugh. That'll only piss off Elijah._

 _Damon about got his head torn off. Enzo's gotten even more worried. Damon spent decades in love with Katherine and then he heard so much about you from Jenna, so he seems to have transferred at least some of that to you since you have her face._

 _I'm not Katherine and I'm nothing like her._

 _I know. Bonnie and I hope that he'll get over it once he meets you. But she broke his heart and a broken heart isn't easily mended._

 _Here's hoping he gets it through his head that I'm not Katherine and that he finds a girl who'll love him, warts and all._

 _Lol. Right?_

The nursery door opened and Elijah entered the room, his expression thoughtful.

"I've had a thought," he said. "What if we had a party? Invite the people who might want to do you harm, let them see you, but you stay on the balcony, above them. It would give us the chance to find out more about their plans and let people see once and for all that you are with us of your own will."

"A party."

"You would just have to make an appearance and then go back to your room. And it would allow your friends from Mystic Falls to see you, see that you're alright, even if you're not ready to talk to them yet."

Elena studied Elijah's face, searching for any sign of doubt in his eyes.

"You don't have to do this. It's simply an idea." He walked towards her slowly, then lowered himself so that he was sitting on his heels. "Finn thinks it may be a good idea. Bringing all of them together under one roof."

Elijah picked up a toy and examined it, his brows furrowed.

"I won't have to talk to any of them?"

"You wouldn't have to talk to anyone you don't want to and you'd only have to show your face for a few minutes, if necessary."

Elena thought about it for a long moment, considering. Meeting people from her past seemed to work better when she was surrounded by others and it would give her an idea what the people who were after her looked like.

"As long as the people from Mystic Falls are there, I'll be there."

"Rebekah will be thrilled. She loves to plan a good party."

"This is going to be interesting."

"To say the least." He stood up, his lips curling up. "Save me a dance."


	26. Chapter 26

Elena examined her reflection. Her royal blue, beaded lace mermaid gown showcased her small baby bump and made her look elegant.

"There, you're ready." Rebekah smoothed Elena's hair around her ears.

"How long do I have to be at the party?"

"Half an hour, maybe. Your friends will be there though, so you might want to stay longer."

"I couldn't stand to be around my parents for half an hour that first day."

"Well, not matter how long you stay, people will be talking about how lovely you look."

"I look just like Katherine."

"You might have the same face, but you carry yourself like a queen." Rebekah squeezed Elena's elbow. "And Elijah won't be able to keep his eyes off you."

"Only because he's worried about me."

"If you say so." Rebekah smiled.

Unfamiliar voices floated up from the courtyard and Elena drew a deep breath. They were here. The people who wanted to gawk at her and try to make her reveal things she wasn't ready to. But what choice did they have?

For a few minutes, there wasn't a single voice she knew.

"Elena lives here?"

Elena turned her head when she heard it. Caroline, she was here.

"Wow. If I lived here I don't think I'd want to leave either," Bonnie commented.

The next thing she was aware of was Elijah kneeling in front of her whispering, "Breathe, Elena. Breathe."

He inhaled slowly and Elena found herself matching him.

"That's it, sweet girl," Elijah murmured. "Breathe."

"I didn't mean to freak out." Elena sighed. "I'm supposed to face the who's who of the vampire world and I panic over people who weren't a part of the supernatural world three years ago."

"It's understandable."

Elijah held out his hand and Elena took it so he could help her to her feet. A glance in the mirror told her that her makeup remained untouched and, aside from her wide eyes, looked ready to face whatever trials awaited her down stairs.

"Shall we?" he asked, offering his arm.

"Let's do this." Taking a deep breath, Elena wrapped her hand around his arm and he led the way out of the room

When she joined the rest of the Mikaelsons out on the balcony above the courtyard, all voices fell silent and every eye focused on her. A glance around told her that Davina and Hayley were both standing on the balcony with them, along with a few people flanking them, marking the women as being there in their official capacity as leaders of their respective factions.

Almost by instinct, Elena's free hand moved to her belly, as if to protect the tiny life inside her. Neither of them needed this sort of attention

"Ladies and gentlemen," Finn's voice carried an authority she rarely heard, "allow us to introduce Elena Gilbert, the newest member of the Mikaelson family."

Klaus moved to her side other and Kol shifted so that he could step between her and any threat if necessary. Rebekah and Freya were positioned nearby, showing a united front against anyone who thought they might be able to manipulate one of them into getting to her.

"Elena is pregnant through means we will not force her to disclose due to their traumatic nature, and her child will carry the Mikaelson name."

At the mention of the torture she endured, Elena moved closer to Elijah, and he covered her hand on his arm with his.

"You're safe, Elena," he whispered so softly that those on the balcony would have struggled to hear what he said. "They won't dare hurt you tonight."

Davina stepped forward to stand beside Finn and she braced her hands on the banister, her blue eyes scanning the crowd with casual arrogance, something Elena couldn't help but wonder if she'd learned from the Mikaelsons.

"This child is a witch and I, as Regent of the New Orleans Witches, declare her to be a member of the French Quarter Coven." Davina paused, the power she carried hanging like a heavy cloud over the crowd. "To bring any harm to the child or mother will be to harm us."

Now it was Hayley's turn.

"The Mikaelsons are my daughter's family, so this affects the wolves as well. We stand with them and will protect Elena and her child." She took a deep breath, her eyes flashing gold. "She might be a vampire, but I know what it's like to be a mother carrying an impossible child and having people wanting to harm my baby. So for me, it's personal. You mess with her, you'll be messing with me, and my bite's a bit more dangerous than yours."

Hayley glanced at Elena and she found herself smiling at the hybrid woman. From being afraid of her due to how they met, to feeling this kinship with her, Elena found herself amazed at how her feelings for the other woman had changed.

"Now, it is tradition when we're gathered together like this, for us to commence the evening with a waltz." Finn adopted a much friendlier tone and held out his arm for Sage. "Shall we?"

Elijah guided Elena down the stairs after Finn as he led the way inside towards the ball room, and the rest of the crowd paired off.

"If you would rather not dance, I understand," Elijah said, his dark eyes intense.

"I promised you a dance." Elena smiled and Elijah relaxed, if only a little.

When the music started, Elena allowed herself to fall into the rhythm and Elijah's hands to guide her.

"Your friends keep watching you."

"If I think about that right now, I might not make it through this."

"Of course."

Nothing more was said as Elena relished in the feeling of his hands on her body and the scent of his cologne teasing her nose. Even though they were surrounded by people, here, in his arms, they were in their own little world.

The music finally came to an end, forcing them from the magic of the moment, and Elijah escorted her to the sitting room.

"I think they're hoping to meet you, if you're ready."

"Let's get it over with." Elena nodded and drew a deep breath. She rested her head against his chest, allowing him to envelope her.

"Niklaus," Elijah raised his voice a little, "if you would be so kind as to join us."

The blond man joined them a few seconds later and leaned against the wall, his blue eyes sparkling with the hope that there might be trouble.

Elijah guided her over to the sofa facing the door and they sat down.

"Don't leave me." Elena gripped his hand.

"Never."

Footsteps on the floor outside caused Elena to tense up.

"Breathe Elena."

No sooner had the words left his mouth that the door opened to reveal Enzo, followed by the people she knew and loved, then two strange men and an unfamiliar girl.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable." Elijah gestured to the chairs around them.

Elena kept her gaze firmly on the floor, unsure of where to look or what to do now that she was face to face with the people from her past.

"Hey, kid." Enzo smiled. "You look good."

"So do you." Elena looked him over, taking in his new clothing and his healthy skin color.

"I told you they'd like you."

"Elena is one of a kind, regardless of who she looks like," Elijah said.

The door opened again and Freya stepped into the room.

"How've- how've you been?" Caroline asked.

"They've taken good care of me." Elena smiled up at the ancient vampire sitting beside her. "Elijah especially. If it wasn't for him, I would never leave my room."

"When will you come home?" Jenna leaned forward.

"I'll probably end up staying here, at least for a while."

"Why?" the darker haired strange man demanded.

"Because I'm happy here." She rolled her eyes. "Besides, they're the only ones strong enough to protect me and my baby."

"What? Like we're not strong enough to take care of a few crazy vampires?"

"You are talking about some of the strongest, most diabolically minded vampires outside of my family." Elijah stood up and crossed over to the window, looking down at the party below, then smiled at the dark haired vampire, but there was no warmth in the expression. "Here, she has an army protecting her. Now, if you think you, your brother, a few baby vampires, and one witch can do the same, try to take her."

Elijah clearly didn't think that Enzo or the unfamiliar girl would try to do anything to move against the Originals.

Klaus straightened and walked slowly around the room so that he was standing behind Elijah and Freya shifted, prepared to defend them.

"I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."

"I doubt it's anything we haven't seen."

"Damon, not a good idea," Enzo hissed.

"So what, you expect us to just leave her here?"

"I expect you to trust that she has the best protection possible, not that her well-being should be any of your concern."

"That's not good enough." Damon flashed across the room and Elijah caught him, easily holding him at arm's length.

"Young vampires," he sneered. "How dare you come in here and challenge me."

Damon tried to remove Elijah's hand from his throat, but to no avail. Elijah grabbed a pencil off the nearby desk and jabbed it into Damon's throat.

When Elijah stabbed Damon, Klaus placed his hand on Elena's shoulder to help calm her as she struggled to keep from reacting. She'd never seen this level of violence before from him, but she knew he was simply doing it to protect her, to show them exactly what they were dealing with.

"I'm an Original. Show a little respect." Taking out his handkerchief, he handed it to the now bleeding man. "Attack me or any of my family, or make any attempt to go near Elena against her will, you're dead."

"Perhaps Damon should sit down and not speak for the rest of the visit."

Freya snapped her fingers and Damon opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

"Damon, please," Jenna pleaded. "We came here to see Elena. Not start a fight with the people's she's living with."

The girl that Elena suddenly realized was Jeremy's girlfriend Anna, walked over to him and pushed him back towards his chair.

"I would have thought dealing with my mother and me would have taught you not to piss off vampires older than you are," she snapped.

"The arrogance of youth, Anna." Elijah returned to his place beside Elena and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Damon slumped in his seat, the pain in his eyes so raw that Elena felt sorry for him.

"Freya, do you think you could release him? I think he's learned his lesson."

"If he attacks anyone or runs his mouth again, I'll silence him."

"It's my fault," Damon whispered. "It's all my fault. What happened to you. It's because of me. I knew about the Augustines. I knew they existed. I was their prisoner too so I knew what they were capable of."

His face twisted with self-loathing and suddenly it all made sense. His obsession with her wasn't because he was in love with her or he'd transferred his affections from Katherine to her. It was because of his guilt, which was only amplified once he learned of her pregnancy. He hated himself because of the pain she'd endured and he blamed himself for it.

"What's done is done. Changing the past would unravel the present and destroy the future." Elena glanced at Elijah. "Yeah, it was horrible, what happened. But that horror brought me my baby and if it hadn't been for Grayson giving me Enzo's blood, I would be dead for good. So there was some good from that."

"Enzo made it clear he was pissed about what happened and after what they did to you, you should hate me for it."

"People handle pain differently and I blame them. They're the ones who hurt me, not you. I never saw you before, only heard about you through Enzo, so hating you for what happened to me, it doesn't make sense."

"How can I make it up to you?"

"Make sure my family in Mystic Falls is taken care of and be nicer to Uncle John. He is my biological father, after all."

"I can do that." Damon nodded. "I can do that."

"Thank you. That's something I don't have to worry about." As she spoke, she felt herself reach the end of her endurance.

Elijah kissed the side of her head and squeezed her shoulders gently.

"I need to lie down," Elena whispered, suddenly unable to breathe. She didn't know this guy and she was having a heart to heart with him. She needed to get away. Needed to have only Elijah around and no one else.

"We'll contact you when Elena can have visitors." Elijah scooped her into his arms.

"Is she alright?"

"Anxiety makes it impossible for her to be near people for extended periods of time," Klaus explained. "Elijah's the only one who can be with her for more than a few hours without her panicking."

Elena buried her face against Elijah's neck.

When they got to her bedroom, he set her down on the bed and slowly pulled her clothes off so not to startle her. After tossing the dress over the back of the chair, he disappeared into the bathroom for a moment, then returned with a warm, damp cloth.

"You lasted longer down there than you thought you would and you set Damon straight about you." He wiped the makeup off her face. "You got the worst of it out of the way. Now, the next time you meet them, it should be easier."

Elena nodded once.

"Perhaps you'll feel up to seeing them tomorrow." Elijah slipped an oversize t-shirt of his that she'd claimed as hers.

"Will you stay?"

"Of course." He toed off his shoes and shed his jacket before loosening his tie.

Crawling into the bed beside her, he wrapped his arms around her and she pressed herself as tightly against him as she could.

"You were far kinder to Damon than he deserved, I think."

"He was punishing himself over what happened to me. It wasn't right."

"Never change, lovely Elena. Never change. You remind us of our humanity and that's something we need once in a while."


	27. Chapter 27

Morning sun broke through the curtains, touching her face, and Elena blinked against the brightness. What happened last night? Oh, right, the people she loved and their friends came for a visit and she had to bow out before they'd got started.

"Jeremy!" Elena sat up, horrified. She hadn't even acknowledged her brother last night. What kind of sister was she?

"Is something wrong?" Elijah brushed his fingers along her shoulder.

"I wanna see Jeremy and Jenna on their own today. No friends, no people I don't know, just family" She lay back down. She looked over at Elijah. "I was so concerned about Damon causing trouble, about ruining my aunt's friendships, that everything else just slipped my notice. "

"Do you want me to contact Jenna?"

"No, I'll text her." Elena pulled her phone off her nightstand and opened the app. "They're my family and I need to start reconnecting for real with them, instead of depending on the people around me to do things."

Once the message was sent, Elena glanced over at her companion. With his sleep tousled hair, morning scruff, and partially unbuttoned dress shirt, Elijah's appearance made her breath catch in her throat and Elena forgot what she was doing for a moment.

"Is everything alright?"

She blinked, and smiled. "I'm okay."

"Shall we?" He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

Elena chewed her lip for a moment as she thought over her plans for the day.

"Elena?"

"I'd like to try meeting my family on my own."

"If you want."

"It is. My aunt is a vampire and my brother is surrounded by vampires."

"Not to mention that he has a vampire girlfriend." He stood up. "Do you think you can handle it entirely on your own? Or would you like me to stay?"

"I-" Elena broke off and chewed on her lip. "I wanna try it by myself. Jenna has your number if I have a problem and need you."

"Then I suppose I'll make myself useful elsewhere."

"You do know the Strix better than anyone, so you'll have plenty to do today."

"True enough." Elijah came around the side of the bed and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Call me if you need anything."

"I will."

Elijah left the room and Elena headed to the bathroom to shower.

As the water ran down her body, Elena studied herself as she bathed. Her belly, swelling with Elijah's baby, it made her ache low in her belly with an unfamiliar need. She wanted something, ached for it, but she wouldn't let herself focus on that. She wasn't ready to think about that, since it made her stomach twist, so she avoided the meaning behind the strange feeling the knowledge of who her baby's father was ignited within her.

After turning off the water, she dried off, the softness of the towel against her skin driving up the need within her. Elijah. She wanted, she wanted- No. she couldn't think about it. Something about following that particular path made her shrink within herself.

Whatever it was that she was feeling, she couldn't let herself consider it too much, otherwise she wouldn't be able to be in the same room with her family, the people connected to Grayson. Grayson, the one who brought pain into her life, who introduced the ones who did even worse things to her. Grayson, the one who injected her with things and chopped off limbs. She shuddered and she forced herself to keep her breathing even.

Jeremy and Jenna weren't going to hurt her. Jeremy had a vampire girlfriend and Jenna was a vampire. They were safe. They wouldn't hurt her and Elijah wouldn't leave her alone with them if he thought they were a threat to her.

If he thought they were dangerous, he'd make sure to be right next to her and have Freya wrap her up in spells to make sure she was safe. Whatever had happened in her past, Elijah would make sure it wouldn't be repeated in her future, no matter what price he had to pay.

Elena breathed deeply and the anxiety drifted away. Elijah wasn't stupid. He wouldn't leave her to the wolves if he could help it. She was safe. Her family wasn't a threat to her. Jenna and Jeremy loved her and wanted to fix things so they could be a family again.

An hour later, Elena found herself on the couch in the sitting room across from her aunt and brother.

"No bodyguards?" Jenna glanced around the room. She'd clearly been unnerved by Elijah's casual use of force when threatened the night before.

"I wanted to see you without other people around."

"I saw Uncle John last night," Jeremy commented. "He stopped me last night after you went to bed."

"Yep. He and my bio mom have been working with the Mikaelsons to help keep me safe. I haven't spent as much time with them as I'd like, but hopefully once the Strix are dealt with, I'll be able to spend more time with them."

"Elena?" Jeremy hung his head for a moment. "Was Dad-? Did he-? What did he do to you?"

"He'd inject me with things and slice and dice while he tried to turn me human." Elena blinked as her eyes stung.

"So he wasn't- He wasn't involved in the- what happened in the end?"

"You mean the baby? No. They didn't do anything about that until after Davenport got him out of the way. For all his cruelty, that was one line he wouldn't allow them to cross."

Jeremy exhaled and shook his head. "At least my father wasn't a rapist."

"I don't want to talk about that." Elena wrapped her arms around her stomach and curled in on herself a little. "That's all anyone wants to talk about when they realize I'm pregnant. There is such as talking about a thing too much."

"So what do you like to do now?" Jenna asked after a moment.

"Um, I read a lot. Elijah sometimes trains me to fight when I feel up to leaving my room, and they've created a dance studio for me as well, but that might have to change soon, now that she's getting bigger."

"You haven't skated since before you turned, have you?"

"It was kinda hard to skate when I was locked and I haven't felt like leaving the Abattoir since I got here." Elena cradled her belly, rubbing the bump gently. "At this point, skating might not be a good idea until after the baby's born."

"Since you're not up to leaving the house, I guess meeting Caroline and Bonnie for dinner is out of the question," Jenna said.

"I'm, um, I'm on a very restricted diet right now due to the pregnancy, so I don't eat with people. If I don't keep to it, I'll throw everything up. But I would like to see them again. So, maybe tomorrow, if I'm feeling up to being around people."

Elena relaxed a bit, uncurling from her protective position.

"Have you thought of a name for the baby?"

"No." Elena chuckled once. "With everything going on, I just haven't had the time to think of that. I'm still trying to accept that I'm free and I'm not gonna wake up back in the basement with crazy doctors trying whatever theory they're obsessing over that day."

"Have you tried therapy?"

Elena sighed. "I haven't thought to ask. I'm sure the Mikaelsons know someone in the know who'd be willing to treat me."

"A good psychiatrist could help you, so you're not trapped inside the house for the rest of your life." Jenna gave a half smile. "I'd offer myself, but treating family rarely ever turns out well, especially when there's as much pain as you've been through."

"I'd try to protect you from the full extent of what happened to me." Elena stared at her hands for a long moment before looking up at Jeremy. "I begged Grayson to let me see you, to be there at the funeral. But he called me a monster and drugged me. I wanted to be there, so y'all would know that you hadn't lost two people in one day, that I was still alive. But he wouldn't let me."

"Enzo mentioned something about that," Jeremy whispered.

"I wanted to be there, Jer, I swear." She ached to hug him, but the thought of getting that close to another person besides Elijah froze her to her seat.

Maybe Jenna was right. Perhaps it was time to see a psychiatrist. There were enough supernatural people in New Orleans, one of them had to be friendly with the Mikaelsons. Or at least be willing to help her, if the show of solidarity last night from the other supernatural factions wasn't just for show.

The baby started kicking softly and Elena cradled her belly. Soon, she'd be kicking hard enough that Elijah could feel it and Elena knew he was looking forward to that.

"Is she moving?" Jenna asked.

"Yeah." Elena smiled. "I don't think anyone could feel her yet if they touched me though."

"So am I Uncle Jeremy? Or will you tell her I'm your cousin?"

"Yeah, I'm biologically John's daughter and I'm getting to know him as my father, but you'll always be my brother." Elena shifted in her seat and allowed the darker emotions to recede. "So, what have you been up to while I've been away?"

"I um, I got clean after you went missing, then I met Anna and helped her find her mother. She wanted me to turn after I graduated, but I wanted to try to find you first."

"Jer, you shouldn't put your life on hold for me."

"We had an agreement that if we hadn't found you by the time I turned twenty-one, I would let her turn me."

"Okay, good. So, tell me more about Anna."

"She knew the Salvatores before they turned, and Katherine. She felt a little responsible for Jenna turning into a vampire, because she felt like if she had done more to chase Katherine off, Jenna could have turned on her own, if she wanted."

"From what I've heard, Katherine is a self-serving survivalist."

"Yeah, Anna said something similar."

"So, what did turning you accomplish, Aunt Jenna?"

"Katherine was throwing a tantrum because no one would tell her where you were and she refused to believe that we didn't know either."

"She turned you to try to force your hand? Why?" That had confused her when she first heard about the circumstances surrounding her aunt's turning. She wanted to hear it first hand instead of through texting.

"A group of witches, the Travelers, they wanted doppelganger blood to break the spell that bound their magic and she didn't want hers used, so she came looking for you."

"But she couldn't find me?"

"They used her anyway when she couldn't produce you. They used Stefan too, for some reason. Then, they just left town. We haven't heard from them since."

"So, mostly quiet?

"Aside from the crap Damon does because he's Damon?" Jenna cocked her head. "No. Not really. It's been pretty quiet."

"Good. Hopefully, things will remain quiet, even though you're connected to me."

"You think it would be a good thing to keep it quiet that we're related?" Jeremy asked.

"Yes, especially if you're blood related. Someone might find a way to use the blood connection against us."

"They'll protect you though, won't they?" Jenna asked, glancing at Jeremy, concerned.

It was as though they were just realizing exactly the sort of situation Elena was in. Being the only vampire to conceive her own child in the history of vampires meant that being connected to her put them in the cross hairs as well.

"They protect me from everything they can," Elena said.

Jenna and Jeremy relaxed then, allowing Elena to release the tension in her muscles a little more.

"So, I've been studying art at Whitmore." Jeremy chuckled once. "Anna thought it'd be a good idea me to study somewhere else, somewhere far away from Mystic Falls, but I wanted to wait until we found you or I turned twenty-one."

"You'll have decades, centuries, forever to study once you turn."

"Maybe I'll come to New Orleans to study once everything with your baby settles down and I turn."

"The Mikaelsons, and by extension the rest of New Orleans, are good about young vampires who follow the rules."

"Are you okay, Elena?" Jenna asked. "Like truly, okay?"

Elena paused, thinking for a long moment before she replied. "The ones who hurt me, they created a monster that now lives in my head, and I'm afraid if I give in, I'll become a nightmare."

"No, Elena. You're not a monster," Jenna soothed. "You're good and kind. What they did to you, it doesn't define you. They hurt you, but that doesn't make you weak. You're strong, you're so strong. You just have a lot of pain you need to work through, to heal from."

"I feel it though, I feel so much rage that I'm afraid if I let it out, I'll break something."

"You're surrounded by the strongest people on the planet. I think they can survive you lashing out," Jenna said. "Don't run from your pain. Let yourself feel. Don't repress it. Elijah cares for you, deeply. And he can protect any innocent person from being hurt. Don't hide from your feelings, Elena. Don't let what was done to you destroy everything you've fought to gain, don't let your past haunt your future."

Elena stared at Jenna for a long moment, thinking about her words.

"Please, Elena. Don't let them win."

Tears sprang into her eyes, and she said, "Maybe Elijah knows someone, a doctor who isn't afraid of a messed up baby vampire."

"You're so strong, Elena. You survived and your baby will have one hell of a mother."

Tears filled her eyes and she brushed them away roughly.

"Don't hide from your feelings, Elena. Let yourself feel. From what I've heard, and what little you've told me, you've been through a hell that only the strongest survive."

"I don't hate my baby. I just wish she'd come into being another way," Elena whispered. "I love her, but I can't think about her beginning without remembering things I'd rather not think about."

"You were raped, Elena, but you still feel so much love for the child you carry." Jenna shook her head, an expression of wonder on her face. "You're so full of love, I wish I could feel a fraction of what you do.

"My baby, she's innocent and her father wasn't the one who hurt me. I was strapped to a table and the one who did the act died a terrible death."

"You know who the father is, don't you?" Jenna whispered. "He's involved."

"Aunt Jenna, I love you, but please, don't ask anything else about him. He's almost as innocent in this as I am. He just made the mistake of sleeping with the wrong woman. He didn't know his genetic material would be used in a rape. So, I'm begging you, let it go."

"Okay." Jenna nodded one, almost to herself, as if she'd come to a conclusion, one she wasn't going to share.

"Thank you." Elena smiled, fighting back tears she didn't realize had formed in her eyes.

"So," Jeremy's eyes lit with curiosity, "what's it like, living with the Originals?"


	28. Chapter 28

Elena wiped the last of the blood from her lips, then looked up at Elijah. He blinked and looked down at her, his face soft and she chewed on her lip, trying to figure out how to broach the subject without possibly hurting his feelings.

"What is it?" His brows furrowed.

"I, um," she paused, awkward.

"Elena, whatever it is, whatever you need, just say it and I'll do what I can to help."

"During my visit with my aunt, I realized that I needed a therapist of some sort and I was hoping you could recommend someone."

"Camille O'Connell," Elijah said automatically. "She's very competent, and knows of the supernatural."

"You've been planning this?"

"I knew there would be a time when you might get to this point and she's someone I know and trust."

"Oh."

"Do you want me to ask her to come around so you can meet her?"

Elena nodded once. "I'd like that."

"Tomorrow?" Elijah asked, drawing her close to his chest.

"I was hoping to see Caroline and Bonnie tomorrow, so maybe arrange for her to come over tonight? Or tomorrow night, if she can't do it tonight?"

"I can do that." He carded his fingers through her hair. "She's more than good, Elena. She's helped Niklaus where the rest of us failed."

"Are they together?"

"No. They flirted with the idea before she graduated, but they both realized that dating your therapist isn't a good idea."

"What was the biggest issue she helped you with?"

Elijah sighed. "If it wasn't for her, Niklaus might have never forgiven me for a betrayal I dealt him a few centuries ago."

"What did you do?"

"I accidentally compelled a girl he had feelings for to leave him."

"'Accidentally'?" Elena asked, confused.

"During our first century of this life, while we were still learning what it meant to be vampires, we encountered the de Martels. Aurora de Martel fell in love with Niklaus and he with her, but Mikael came and in my panic to separate them so we could run, I discovered compulsion. Aurora showed up a few decades after Freya rejoined us and if it hadn't been for my sister, Niklaus would have daggered me and left me in the coffin. Then a few years ago, Cami came along and helped us work through it, to help him see that I didn't do it to be cruel or to hurt him and she helped me forgive myself for the pain I dealt him."

"Sounds like a mess."

"It was."

"I wanna heal and it sounds like this woman can help."

"You will heal, Elena." He kissed the top of her head. "To fight against what was done, instead of lying down and giving up, that takes so much strength." He chuckled. "In my time as a human, I think you would have made one hell of a shield maiden."

"I don't like hurting people."

"But you do protect the people you love, even at your own expense."

"Just because I'm in pain doesn't mean I have the right to make the people around me hurt."

Elijah shifted so that he could pull his phone out of his pocket. Elena heard him type out a message, but she kept her eyes closed, enjoying the feel of his powerful arms around her, allowing his strength to flow through her, replenishing her.

His phone buzzed a few minutes later and Elijah said, "She'll come over about seven, if that's alright with you."

"That sounds good, at long as it's not putting her out."

"She'll be well-paid for it, as she always is when she helps us and she's our friend, so she's more than happy to do what she can, provided it doesn't go against her morals."

"She sounds like a great person." Elena sat up. "How much time do we have?"

"About half an hour."

"Okay, so I may as well get down there so I can get myself ready to meet her." Elena shifted and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Can we meet in the courtyard? The weather's too nice to be inside."

"You can meet her wherever you like." Elijah placed his hand on her shoulder and rubbed his thumb in a small circle "We move at your pace, Elena. Whatever you're comfortable with, whatever you're ready for, that's what we do."

"Thank you."

Elena slid her shoes on.

"Shall we?" Elijah stood up.

Elena nodded once and left the room.

As she walked out the door, Elena froze. There, in the doorway to the outside, was a beautiful blonde girl Elena couldn't remember seeing before. Her green eyes flicked over Elena quickly, only mild curiosity in her gaze, then looked at Elijah.

"Cami, this is Elena Gilbert, Elena, Camille O'Connell."

"It's nice to meet you." Cami smiled. "I remember you from when you were skating."

"Oh."

"Not to worry, I'm not here to talk about that."

"Shall we sit?" Elijah gestured towards the array of chairs.

Elena hid behind Elijah as he led the way towards the chairs, but sneaked glances at Cami around his back. Cami, to her credit, didn't so much as peek at her.

They sat down and Elena folded her hands in her lap, staring at them, just for something to look at, other than the woman who was there to take her wounds and try to help her fix them.

"So, Elijah said you wanted to meet me to discuss you becoming a patient of mine."

"Yeah." Elena rubbed her thumbs against each other. "What do you know about what happened to me?"

"Only what I've heard, which isn't much, just gossip at the bar, which is all about that you're somehow pregnant and all the supernatural people in the world are freaking out about it."

"So no one really knows what happened to me?"

"Not from what I've heard, no." Cami shifted into a more comfortable position. "So, why don't you tell me what your goal is for meeting with me."

"I want to be able to leave the house without having an anxiety attack. I want to be able to meet new people, to exist, without being entirely dependent upon Elijah for everything." Elena glanced at the other vampire. "He's been nothing but kind to me and supportive, but I need to know who I am separate from him. Being co-dependent on someone else, anyone, no matter how good they've been to me, isn't how I want to spend my eternity."

"So we take it one step at a time, one day at a time," Cami said. "You've got the strongest support system of any family I've ever met and you seem to be a part of that now, considering how far they're willing to go to protect you."

"You've got your family now as well," Elijah commented. "Your aunt and biological mother are both vampires and your brother's girlfriend is a vampire, not to mention your best friends from your human life, one's a vampire, the other's a witch."

"And Enzo." She paused for a long moment, searching for the words. "It's hard to have him around right now though, because he was there. He knows, well, everything."

"Sometimes being near someone who witnessed us at a moment of trauma, it forces us to relive our pain and leave us feeling vulnerable," Cami said softly.

"He's my friend and I care about him, but sometimes, all I can think about is-" Elena sniffed.

"What they did to you."

Elena stared at the ground and nodded. "It makes me feel weak."

"You are not weak, Elena. You survived. I don't know what all they did to you, but I know you had to have been so strong to survive it."

"I'm not strong."

"You are, Elena," Elijah disagreed. "You went through hell and you're trying to heal. And that takes strength."

The baby kicked then and Elena cradled her belly. To her surprise, she felt a flutter against her palm.

"Elijah." She grabbed his hand and placed it over the spot where the baby kicked and smiled.

"Is that her?" Awe filled his voice and he looked at her, dark eyes wide.

"Yeah. It's her." She smiled and tears spilled down her cheeks.

Elijah wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer.

Sharing this moment with her daughter's father, his hands on her belly, cradling the tiny life that drew them together, it filled her chest with overwhelming joy, the sort she never thought she'd feel after so long in the lab.

"She's already so strong." He pressed a kiss against her temple. "Like her mother."

"I take it you're going to step in as the baby's father?" Cami asked, looking between them, brow raised.

"I couldn't ask for a better man to be her father." Elena pressed her face into his jacket. "He's so good with me, he'll be amazing with her."

"And to be given the gift of fatherhood so long after having it was taken away, is not something one I will walk away from."

"So you won't be alone raising the baby. That's good. Every mother needs a support system."

"What about you? What do you do? Do you have family in the area?" Elena shifted so that she was seated beside Elijah once more.

"I graduated with a doctorate in psychology. My family has lived in New Orleans for generations. My uncle is a priest at St. Anne's in the Quarter, and my twin brother, who was following in his footsteps was hexed and he killed himself a little over two years ago. Now, I'm therapist to the vampires, after mouthing off to Klaus in the bar I work at."

"So, you do know loss," Elena murmured. "Losing a twin can't be something you just get over."

"I take it day by day." Cami smiled sadly. "Grief, healing of any kind for that matter, it's not a linear process. I still have bad days, but they get further and further apart, so I can think and talk about him without it causing me to break down."

"My adoptive mother died, the day I turned. The last thing I saw before I woke up in the lab was her dead."

"You lost both parents that day. Your mother to the crash, and your father to the hell he put you through."

"Yeah." Elena shook her head. "You'd think it'd be easier to process, you know, since I have biological parents who love and accept me as I am."

"But they didn't raise you." Cami leaned forward. "You've had a lot of crap happen to you in three years, a lot of betrayal. It's shaken the foundations of your very self, and it's going to be a process, getting you where you want to be, but it's not impossible."

"If you can help the Mikaelsons, you can help me. I mean, they've got a thousand years of craziness to work through. I've only got three years."

"That's one way of looking at it. But pain is still pain. Just because someone endured it longer than you did, it doesn't make your trauma any less valid." Cami leaned back in her seat and crossed her legs. "You're not weak for reacting the way you did. You survived. You're here, and you're fighting to reclaim yourself. Now, the person you'll become after this, it won't be the human girl you remember being, but that's not the goal."

"So, what's the plan?"

"I plan on trying bring you to a place where you no longer feel broken by your past. You'll always have scars, but you won't feel like you're bleeding out on the inside. My plan to to help you stitch the wounds back together."

"I'd like that."

As they talked, Elena found the other woman easier to open up to than she'd anticipated. Unlike most of the people she'd seen since her rescue, Cami didn't stare at her like she'd sprouted horns. Instead she treated Elena like a person, and that was a novelty. After so many years in the spotlight, and then the lab, being seen as a person rather than an object, a means to an end, it made her throat tighten and she blinked back tears.

Elijah seemed to sense her distress and he drew her closer to him.

"Are you okay?" he murmured.

"I'm- I think I've pushed myself enough today."

"Alright. I trust you understand." Elijah glanced Cami.

"Okay. So, I'd recommend meeting with me three times a week to start. You and Elijah can figure out what days work best for you." Cami stood up. "My evenings are pretty flexible, so whenever is good for you."

"Thanks."

"Cutting this meeting short isn't a sign of weakness, you know. You agreed to meet with me. That's a huge step." Cami smiled. "I will see you when Elijah calls me."

Cami left then and Elena stood up on shaky legs.

"Do you want me to help you upstairs?" Elijah asked, his hand on her elbow.

"Don't carry me. Just walk with me."

"Of course, Elena."

They walked slowly towards the stairs. Elijah grabbed her elbow once when she started to sway, but other than that, he didn't help or impede her progress.

"Thank you." Elena paused when they reached her door.

"I want you to be happy and I will do everything I can to help you." Elijah kissed her forehead, then paused. He looked her in the eye, before his gaze fell to her lips. He blinked, then stepped back. "I think I should check on Niklaus. He's not used to me being so thoroughly otherwise occupied."

"Okay. Will you me when you get back?" She wanted nothing more than for him to come to her room, and maybe climb into bed with her, but existing separately from him meant that she didn't need him to be near her 24/7. He cared about her and loved the baby, so he'd come running if she needed him, so she could survive on a text until morning at least.

"Of course." He cupped her jaw and brushed his thumb over her cheek. "Sleep well."


	29. Chapter 29

"Hey," Caroline said softly. She approached Elena slowly, like one might come near a wounded animal.

"Hi." Elena smiled, but remained seated.

"No bodyguard?" Bonnie attempted a smile.

"I asked Elijah to let me meet you without him." Elena examined her hands. "It's all part of me attempting to get some independence and all that."

"Independence?" Caroline cocked her head as she sat down.

"I have a hard time doing things without him, due to everything he's done for me. I'm, um, I'm in therapy now though." Elena sat on her hands. "She knows about the supernatural so I don't have to make up euphemisms about what happened to me."

"That's good." Caroline blinked hard. "I tried to find you."

"I know," Elena said. "I heard you one time, talking to an FBI agent."

"You were right there?" Caroline gasped. "You were right next to me! Why didn't you say anything? Scream?"

"I was a vampire without a daylight ring and if they'd found out about you they'd have done to you as much as what they could." Elena leaned forward and braced her elbows on her knees. "It gave me hope, knowing people didn't forget me, that they still cared."

"Oh, Elena." Tears filled Bonnie's eyes. "We never forgot you. Once I learned I was a witch, I searched for you."

"We never gave up hope. As long as Bonnie's spells told us you were alive, even if they couldn't find you, we never stopped looking."

Elena smiled once, but it twisted into a grimace and she dropped her gaze. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Caroline's face twisted with confusion.

"For not being what you remember."

"You went through hell, Elena," Bonnie said, her voice gentle. "No one can expect you to be exactly like that after everything."

Elena smiled a little, but her eyes remained sad. The baby kicked then and Elena cradled her belly, her tense body softening as she rubbed the tiny girl beneath her palm.

"You love her?" Bonnie asked.

"Very much."

"Even though she came into existence in such a horrible way?"

"It wasn't her fault and her father isn't the one who hurt me." Elena found herself smiling as the baby flipped inside her. "She saved me really. It's because of her that Freya started having visions of me. I mean, I can understand someone not wanting to go through with a pregnancy after going through what I did, but I couldn't imagine a life where she didn't exist."

"You'd have still been locked up, if she didn't come into being?"

"Yeah." Once again, she was struck with an ache so deep, the longing that their child had been conceived the normal way, instead of in a lab with neither of them willing participants.

"What are you going to name her?" Caroline's blue eyes shown with an inquisitive light.

"I um, I haven't really looked into it because I'd like Elijah to be a part of that too." Elena rubbed her belly again. Elijah's baby. The little girl nestled beneath her palm was his, carried his genes, his blood. "He has the right to have all the experiences of being a father."

"You're in love with him, aren't you?" Bonnie narrowed her eyes at the girl she'd known since childhood.

Elena remained silent and lowered her gaze to the floor. They'd see through it if she denied it and admitting it meant making it real. And if it was real, it meant opening herself up to more pain than she'd already been through.

"Oh, my god, you totally are!" Caroline giggled. "You're in love with him!"

"Caroline, please." Elena found herself curling up just a little, as if trying to shield herself.

"Right. Sorry." Caroline settled back into her seat. "I just, yeah."

"I'm sorry too," Bonnie said."

"It's okay." Elena gave a half smile. "You're just excited and being you. If it was about anything else, it'd be nice to be treated like I used to be. But this, it's still, it makes me feel too vulnerable, especially since I'm still so dependent on him."

"Okay, so treat you like you, just be a little careful about the topics," Caroline clarified.

"Yeah. Sounds about right."

"Got it. We can do that."

"Okay, I'm a terrible hostess. Would you like something to eat or drink? I'm sure I can find something." Elena waved towards the alcohol decanters across the room. "Or you can help yourself to whatever's over there."

"Thanks, but I'm good for right now." Bonnie leaned back into her chair. "So are you going to tell people you're alive? Or are you just going to remain missing?"

"You mean a news announcement?"

Bonnie nodded.

"I'm a vampire. So I think the best thing to do would be for me to remain missing, with only the people I know won't try to hurt me knowing I'm alive. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, I'll just be another cold missing person's case."

"So it's a good thing you're remaining inside all the time," Bonnie said. "At least until people forget what Elena Gilbert looked like, or enough time has passed that you couldn't possibly look exactly the same age that you were when you went missing."

"Exactly."

"So, tell me all the gossip. Everything I missed." Elena curled her legs beneath her and supported her belly with her hand.

"Um, Tyler Lockwood is a werewolf," Caroline said. "He triggered his curse a few months after I was turned. I did try dating him, but he got annoyed with me for still looking for you, so I broke up with him."

"No, Care, you shouldn't let me ruin your relationships."

"It was a good thing. Turns out he was also hooking up with Vicky at the same time."

"Vicky? Vicky Donovan? Matt's sister?"

"The very same."

"Wow."

"Yup. Anyway, me being focused on you saved me a lot of heartache in the end."

"Still, that sucks."

"Oh, and Jenna has an ex-boyfriend, Alaric Saltzman, who it turns out was still married, sort of to a vampire named Isobel."

"Isobel Fleming?"

"Yeah, why? Do you know her?"

"She's my biological mother."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Anyway, by the time they all agreed that the marriage may as well be over, or as over as it could be, since Isobel was dead, sort of and couldn't sign any divorce papers without revealing to her parents she was alive, Jenna turned into a vampire and Alaric met another woman, Josette Parker. She is a witch and had a psycho brother, but they managed to contain him before he gained enough power to wipe everyone out. In fact, right before we left, Alaric told us that Jo was pregnant and they were thinking about getting married."

"That's a lot in three years."

"Oh, yeah. And that's just the beginning."

"Wow." Elena sighed. "If my mother hadn't given me up, he might have been my step-father."

"Elena Saltzman. Huh. That would have been interesting."

"Oh, well. Can't change the past.

"Oh, and I won Miss Mystic Falls. I dedicated my win to you and being inspired to live for you and all that."

"Caroline." Elena shook her head. "Don't keep focusing on me or wasting your life waiting for me to catch up. I'll get there in my own time, but I need you to live for yourself."

"Elena."

"No. Listen to me, please. It might take years for me to fully heal. That's years you'll be wasting on waiting for me. Bonnie, you're human. Don't let yourself just exist. Visit me once in a while, but don't make decisions based on me. Fall in love, have relationships, be happy. Live your lives and know that as long as you're happy, I'll be happy for you."

"You swear it?"

"I promise, Care. Be happy. It'd kill me to know that you were holding back because of me." Elena rubbed her softly kicking baby. "And one day, maybe I'll visit you and we'll have an adventure together and we'll truly enjoy it because no one held back before we got to that point."

"Okay." Caroline gave a watery smile. "I just want you to be there too."

"You and I, we're vampires. We've got centuries. Don't let these decades pass you by because you were holding back for me."

"Only if you let me be there as much as I can be for your baby. You're experiencing something no other vampire's ever been able to have."

"Deal."

"Okay, what about the nursery?"

"Um."

"Oh, my god. You haven't talked about it, have you?" Caroline gasped. "It's a good thing I'm here. Because we've got so much to do! We're going to make sure that little girl has the best nursery ever. Do you want pink or did you have another color in mind?"

"Rebekah would be someone to talk to about that. She's the one who put the party together the other night and from what Elijah told me she loves that sort of thing."

"Okay. Great! This'll be fun! Won't it, Bonnie?"

"Yeah." Bonnie smiled. "The three of us, together again, like it should be."

"Hmmm." Caroline's eyes glazed over. "What colors should we use? It's gotta be special

"I think she's already designing." Bonnie laughed.

"I think so too."

"Caroline. Caroline!" Bonnie sang.

"What? Oh, sorry. There's just so much to do and only what, four months to do it in?"

"You do realize who I'm living with, don't you? If they want something, they just have to compel or pay to get things done how and when they want it done."

"Still, I want to be involved in all the aspects of planning this baby's nursery. You're pretty much my sister and she's the closest I'll ever come to having a baby of my own."

"Between you and Rebekah, I think this little one is gonna have the best nursery and wardrobe any baby ever had." Elena rubbed her belly and the baby kicked against her hand.

"You better believe it."

"So, how did everyone else react when I went missing? The skating world?"

Caroline then gave a blow by blow of the interviews people gave and all the people who claimed to be her best friends even when Elena was friendly to most people, but only occasionally allowed herself to get close to people.

"She said that?" Elena asked at one point. "I shared a room with her once during a competition, but we were both too focused on that to do anything other than study and sleep."

"That's what I thought. But people still believe her. She's in most documentaries about your disappearance and everything."

"Wow." Elena shook her head. "I didn't say more than fifty words to her the entire time we were roomed together and she's calling us best friends."

"She just wants the attention, you know that. Being your friend got her sponsors."

"Some people."

"Right? Anyway, Alex ended up getting a new skater, a guy who said he was inspired by you and that no matter what happened to you, you lived on through him. I'll see if I can find his name and give it to you, if you want."

"That'd be great."

"He's gay and he said that watching you made him accept himself, because on the ice, you seemed so happy, so free, like that was the real you and the you in the interviews wasn't real."

"As long as I impacted someone in a positive way while I was on the ice, it's enough." Tears formed in her eyes and she blinked them away. To know that someone found the courage to embrace all of who they were because of her, it felt like that maybe, just maybe, it was worth it.

"Are you okay?"

Elena nodded. "I hope he makes it."

"He's good. Not as good as you, but still, he's really good."

"I hope he becomes better than I was."

"Why?" Bonnie asked.

"I was a kid when I was killed, just coming into the best years of my career. I want him to be so much better than that. I don't want him peaking early, then vanishing."

Rebekah entered the house then, talking into her phone to Marcel.

"If you want to start planning the nursery, she's here."

"You want me to talk to her?" Caroline squeaked. "She's like a thousand years old and I'm just a baby vampire."

"She's a girl who likes talking about girly things with another girl. You're physically the same age and might have more in common than you might think."

"You promise she's not scary?"

"Who's not scary?" Rebekah asked from the doorway.

"Caroline's a little nervous about asking if you'd like work with her in designing the nursery."

"Don't be nervous, silly girl. Elena's family now and you're one of her friends." Rebekah smiled. "And I'd love help. Since Elena's more of the 'just do what you think looks good' it'd be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of."

"That sounds good."

"What about meeting me here tomorrow at say, nine o'clock and we can spend most of the day working on plans and possibly shopping, if we have time?" Rebekah checked her phone. "I have plans this evening, or we'd start now."

"This will be fun."

Rebekah grinned. "See you first thing in the morning. I expect you to bring lots of ideas."

"I will."

Rebekah left then and Caroline sat back in her chair. "Did I just make a friend?"

"Rebekah's a lot sweeter than most people who don't know her assume she is, just because of who her family is."

The conversation drifted then, to the thing Elena had learned since arriving in New Orleans and the other girls' plans for the future, then to movies Caroline and Bonnie declared Elena needed to watch. It felt nice, normal, like when they were in high school and during Elena's rare girls' night.

Several hours later, Elena's gums started to ache and she knew that it was time to text Elijah and ask him to come back.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her phone.

"Something wrong?" Bonnie asked.

"Um, I need Elijah to bring me something to drink. Part of my restricted diet and all that."

"Oh, wow, we need to get back to the hotel anyway. I've got to look up the designs I saved when I heard you were pregnant, and see if I can find other things."

"Night." Elena waved.

"One day, you'll be able to hug us for real," Caroline vowed.

"One day." Elena agreed. One day.


	30. Chapter 30

Elena ran a comb through her damp hair and examined her reflection in the mirror. It wasn't just her growing hair that made her seem more like herself, it was that spark in her eyes, it was back. Maybe not as strong as it was before, but it was there.

"I hear Rebekah has a partner in crime." Elijah leaned against the doorway, his hand in his pocket.

"Caroline. Yeah." Elena laughed once. "She wants to come up with the perfect nursery, since she's pretty much my sister and all that."

"And Rebekah is always happy to have an accomplice." Elijah sighed. "She doesn't have nearly enough friends for how big her heart is. She protects herself a lot, but she loves with everything she has."

"Maybe one day we can be friends too. I like her, it's just-"

"It's hard to let so many new people in at once."

"Yeah." Elena hung her head, guilt niggling at her, even though there was no judgment in his voice.

"There's nothing wrong with that." Elijah straightened, but made no move to approach her. "As long as you keep moving towards your goal, you're healing and with healing, comes being able to allow yourself to get closer to more people."

"Caroline mentioned something yesterday and I realized we hadn't discussed it at all." Elena walked slowly towards him, her hand on her belly.

"What's that?"

"A name." Elena caught Elijah's hand and placed it against where the baby was softly kicking. "What are we going to name her?"

"Hmm." Elijah licked his lips. "What about Astrid?"

"Astrid?" Elena blinked, struggling to think around the scent of him filling her nostrils.

"It means divine beauty." Elijah brought up his free hand and cradled her cheek. "If she looks anything like her mother, she will be beautiful and her existence is a divine miracle."

"I look just like every other woman with my face." Elena ducked her head, but Elijah didn't let go.

"Don't, don't look away. Twins can look the same, but they're still very different people and that's the same with you and the others who look like you."

"There's a difference between doppelgangers and twins."

"It's your eyes. That's where you're different." He brushed his thumb beneath her eye, catching the tear that formed there. "And our daughter will be as exquisitely lovely as her mother is, inside and out."

Elena's lips curled up just a bit, but she remained doubtful. Her face was so common and Elijah had met two others who looked like her.

"I mean it."

Suddenly needing to change the subject, Elena commented, "You've thought about it before I mentioned it, haven't you, what we might name her?"

"I have," he admitted, licking his lower lip, his brows furrowed in uncertainty. "If you don't like it, we can look at other names."

"No, I do like it."

"If you're sure." He raised an eyebrow in question, but Elena remained silent, so he continued, "Now, what about a middle name?"

Elena paused for a moment, considering, then said, "I like Joanne." She swallowed thickly. "My- John, he won't want to turn into a vampire and I'd like her to keep a part of him around after he's gone."

"Astrid Joanne Mikaelson." Elijah's gaze dropped fractionally and he stepped closer, his dark eyes intense. "Our daughter."

Elena's breath caught in her throat and her lips parted.

Someone knocked on the door, drawing them apart.

"Yes?" Elijah called, the intensity draining from his face, and Elena found herself feeling disappointed.

Did she want him to kiss her? Yes, she had feelings for him, but was she ready for that? Even as the question crossed her mind, Elena knew that if she was questioning it, she wasn't ready for things between them to become anything more than him being a caregiver. Besides, for all she knew, he was focused on the baby, rather than her.

"It's Aurora," Josh replied. "We need your help."

"Go. I'll be fine." Elena cradled his cheek. "We'll be okay."

"I'll send someone around later to check on you if we haven't dealt with this by then."

Elijah flashed away and Elena rubbed the baby where she kicked, harder than normal. Once he was gone, she left her room and drifted down the stairs.

"Hi, Elena!" Caroline called as she burst through the door in a flurry of golden curls.

"Busy day?"

"Oh, yes."

"There you are." Rebekah descended the stairs, straightening her light jacket as she went. "Are you ready?"

"Let's go." Caroline grinned, clearly excited about this new venture.

"Let's hope we get through what I've got planned today." Rebekah's face darkened. "Some people have difficulty understanding when they're welcome in a town and when they're not and they go around making a mess of things."

With that, the two blondes left the house and silence cloaked the room once more. For the first time since she was brought here, Elena had a brief longing to venture beyond the borders of the house, but she quashed it quickly. Outside these walls, there were so many people who wanted to do terrible things to her and the little girl she carried.

"Elijah said you would be home alone." Isobel's voice drew Elena's attention as the younger woman opened the door to the courtyard.

"Isobel." Elena smiled when she saw her biological mother. "You're on babysitting duty today?"

"I like to think of it as spending time with my daughter and making up for lost time."

"That sounds a lot better."

"Besides, the vampires who are after you are a lot older and, unfortunately, a bit smarter than I am, just because they've had longer to study." Isobel's mouth curled down a bit and her tone turned dry. "So, stronger, more educated vampires in town and I have almost no hope of standing up against them."

"Where's John?" Elena sat down and drew her feet up on the couch. "He's usually here when you are."

"He had to leave town last night. He's supposed be back in a few days." Isobel helped herself to a drink and took a seat across from Elena.

"What happened?" Elena leaned closer to Isobel. "What's going on?"

"Something's come up and John's looking into it."

"Isobel?" Alarm filled her. They knew something they weren't telling her and while she was content to not have to worry about things sometimes, right then, she felt vulnerable and she needed to know what dangers she faced.

"Elena, please. You just focus on your baby and your healing," Isobel implored. "Let us worry about everything else."

"I just don't like not knowing what's going on, especially when it's a threat involving me."

"It won't help anything if you know, because all it will do is set you back. We'll take care of things."

"I just don't like this. It feels like they're up to something and everyone is playing into it." Elena hunched in on herself, suddenly afraid and a sense of vulnerability she hadn't experienced since her rescue descended around her shoulders. "Like no matter what anyone does to try to keep us safe, they've got a plan to counter it."

"We know. But we have to do something. They're after you and the baby and I won't let anyone torture you again."

Elena cradled her belly, where the little miracle grew. Their were people right outside who wanted to take her tiny girl apart and dissect her, to see how she came into being, to see if it could be replicated. But she wasn't going to let it happen. Her little girl was going to make it, to live and be happy.

"We're going to call her Astrid Joanne," Elena said suddenly, desperate to change the subject so she didn't drive herself into an anxiety attack. It felt good to be able to tell someone the name they'd picked for their daughter, as if giving her a name and saying it aloud made her even more real.

"Astrid. That's Norse in origin. From the name Astridr." Isobel smiled, though her brows still remained furrowed. "I'm guessing Elijah picked it."

"He did."

"Hm." Isobel got a look on her face that told Elena she'd figured something out, or thought she found a piece of a clue, if not the whole thing.

"And Joanne?"

"I picked it. Since John isn't likely to want to become a vampire, I'd like her to carry a part of him."

"You're not wrong." Isobel took a sip of her drink. "He has no desire to transition."

"She's going to have his last name too. Astrid Joanne Mikaelson."

"He's really into this whole, being her father thing, isn't he?" Isobel's expression told Elena that this was confirmation of whatever conclusion she'd come to.

"Yeah, he is." Elena rubbed her belly again. "He wanted to be her father from the first day we met. But he always gave me a choice, always wanted to be sure that keeping her was what I wanted to do, that I wasn't doing it just to please him."

"It sounds like you and Astrid have a hold on him that no one else has ever been able to do before, not even his niece, as much as he loves her." Isobel raised an eyebrow at Elena. She was a highly intelligent woman, well respected in her field before she turned, so it was no wonder she seemed to understand what no one outside the family allowed themselves to grasp: the truth of Astrid's parentage.

"He treated me with the first bit of kindness I received from anyone besides Enzo since I turned. He carried me to freedom and has been there for me through everything." Elena's lips curled up just a little. "He may be fearsome with everyone else, but he's been nothing but gentle with me."

"But now you're at the point in your healing that you don't want to need him for everything."

"He's got a life that requires him to be away from me and being away from that can cause problems for his family. And I need to be myself, and that means being able to live without depending on one person for everything, even if he's willing to give it if I need it."

The baby flipped inside her and kicked hard. Elena shifted in her seat, wondering if the position she was in was causing the baby discomfort, but moving around just made the baby kick harder, as though nothing she did would ease the baby's discomfort.

"Is something wrong?" Isobel set her drink down and leaned forward.

"Astrid, she's kicking a lot right now." Elena hissed when one of Astrid's feet came into contact with her kidney. If she didn't know any better, she would have sworn that there was something wrong with her baby.

"Has she ever been this agitated before?" Isobel asked, clearly concerned now.

"Never."

"She's connected to this city." Isobel looked around, her brows furrowed. "Don't lie, Elena. I'm not stupid."

"Yes," Elena confirmed. "She is."

What did it matter if her mother figured out that Elijah was her daughter's biological father? If there was something wrong with Astrid, it didn't matter who knew the truth about it, as long as it meant her baby survived.

"Which means, even if she can't understand what's happening, any magical disturbance would affect her."

"Contact Elijah. He needs to get back here." Astrid started moving even more and Elena's alarm increased. "Now."

No sooner had the words left her mouth that a brush of wind entered the courtyard and Isobel hit the ground, her neck broken. Less than a second later, that same wind came around and unfamiliar, powerful hands wrapped themselves around her. Elena squirmed against their hold, trying to dislodge the grip they held on her, but their strength proved too much, and she screamed.

"Don't snap her neck. We don't know how it will affect the child and we need it alive," an accented female voice said. "Let's go."

No, this couldn't be happening! Elijah. Where was Elijah? Why hadn't Freya's spells held? Was it possible they managed to harm Freya? Or was there a traitor among the witches? Whatever it was, the wards had fallen and now, the Strix had her right where they wanted her after they'd forced the Mikaelsons to play right into their hands.

Elena screamed again, but a hand came over her mouth, silencing her and she was whisked away, out of the house, into the unknown, in the arms of someone who planned to hurt her and her child.


	31. Chapter 31

"Good to see you again," Maxfield smirked.

Elena's blood ran cold at the sight of the blond man. She should have known he was involved somehow. There was no way he wouldn't have given up on finding her and getting her back under his control.

"Get her in the water." He turned away from them and walked over to what appeared to be a temporary work station.

The vampire holding her carried her over to a swimming pool.

"One moment," the woman called.

"We need to get started, Aya," Maxfield sighed.

"Yes, we do, but I'd rather have spells in place to prevent them from stopping us. You know they'll find her before we're through."

"Fortunately, I know a spell." A witch Elena thought she recognized from Davina's coven, entered her line of sight. The traitor, the one whose spells caused her baby to react.

"You're going against the Regent," Elena whispered.

"Davina is a child and I have no idea why the ancestors chose her," the woman tossed her black girls and smirked. "I'd have been a much better choice."

"Sabine," Aya's tone was chastising. "Get to it."

"Sabine." Elena realized she did know of the woman, even if she never met her. "You're one of the ones who tried convincing everyone that Hope was the Antichrist of the witches."

Sabine's face darkened and she grabbed Elena's hand roughly.

"What spell are you doing?"

"Binding the pool with the father's blood, so only the father can stop what we're about to do."

"They'll kill you," Elena warned. She looked around at the gathering crowd. "Even if you're guilty just by association, you're all dead."

"Put her in," Sabine snapped. "There will be nothing they can do, even when they do find us."

The vampire set her down into the water and three girls dressed in black knelt on the opposite side from where she was put in. Before she could struggle out, they and Sabine started to chant and Elena found herself forced to lie flat on the surface of the water, unable to move.

 _Elijah. Hurry._

"Now, we'll see just how Davenport accomplished the impossible." Maxfield sat on his heels at the end of the rectangular pool, his eyes lit with unholy fire.

One of the witches dumped something in the water, and the mixture swirled around her. Astrid started kicking in earnest now, but Elena couldn't even lift her hand to comfort her. She was helpless, yet again, only this time, she had her baby to worry about. She wanted to fight, wanted to scratch their eyes out, but the spell kept her bound.

As the chanting continued, a sharp pain slashed across each wrist and blood mixed in the water, turning it black.

How much time passed, she wasn't sure, but the water started to feel warm around her, the heat leeching into her skin. A tear trickled from the corner of her eye as she realized what they were trying to do. They wanted to induce a miscarriage.

"I should have teamed up with witches a long time ago," Maxfield remarked. "It would have saved me a lot of trouble."

All at once, the sound of fighting reached her ears and she turned her head towards the sound. If the snarls and spells she heard were anything to go by, witches, vampires, and possibly werewolves were fighting side by side. They'd come for her! They got there in time to save Astrid!

"Don't mind them," Aya ordered the witches. "Keep working."

"Elijah!" Elena screamed, straining towards the sound of him.

Something wet snapped and Elena found not caring just what happened to create that sound.

"He can't save you," Sabine gloated. "No matter how many he kills, he won't be able to save you."

"Elijah!" she shouted again, choosing not to respond to Sabine.

Seconds later, the door burst open and Elijah, flanked by Freya, Finn, and Klaus entered the room, each of them covered in blood. Behind them, several more people, Elena thought she recognized followed them, but her focus was on Elijah.

"Don't even bother trying," Aya said. "This spell is bound by the father's blood and as you can see," she gestured to Maxfield, "we have the father here."

Elijah ignored her, instead focusing on Elena as he walked forward slowly.

"What are you doing?" Aya demanded. "Did you not hear what I just said?"

"I'm assuming you used Elena's blood for the spell."

"Of course."

"Did you learn nothing from me?" Elijah toed off his shoes, then removed his belt. "Always test the theory before declaring it fact."

"What do you think you're doing?"

He dropped into the water, and with every step he took towards Elena, the water cooled. Shock and confusion spread through the gathered crowd who wasn't in the know about Astrid's paternity when they realized what this meant.

Scooping her into his arms, he whispered against her forehead, "I've got you. I've got you."

Elena gripped his shirt and pressed her face against his neck as the last of the spell lost its grip on her. For the second time, he'd come to her rescue. No matter who he'd come for, whether it was just the baby, or for her as well, he'd come. She was safe.

Elijah made his way to the edge of the pool and leaped out. Shifting Elena in his arms, he leaned over and picked up his discarded clothes.

"Get her home," Finn said softly. "We'll handle this."

"They tried to kill my child," Elijah snarled.

"Elijah, go."

"Leave the good doctor for me," Elijah hissed.

As Elena processed his demeanor, she realized that his hands were trembling around her and that the muscles cradling her were so much tenser than she'd ever remembered them being, even more so than when he'd rescued her the first time.

"Of course," Finn agreed.

"So this means we've got clearance to do what we want with the rest?" Klaus's full mouth stretched into a menacing grin.

"Sabine is ours," Davina said. "The ancestors are furious with her for attempting to kill a New Orleans witch, even though she's not born yet, and they demand their own justice."

Elijah glowered at those who dared to harm Elena, a growl building in his chest, but Finn put his hand on his younger brother's arm.

"Elena needs you. Leave this to us."

Elijah nodded and then the world sped by her as he carried her home.

"What do you need?" Elijah asked as he helped her stand once they reached her bedroom.

"A shower." Elena headed towards the bathroom.

"Do you need any help?"

"No." She shook her head. "I just wanna take a shower."

"Of course." He cupped her cheek. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

It wasn't until the water from the shower head was beating down on her shoulders that her emotions caught up with her and she started to cry. What sort of people wanted to try to kill a baby that was wanted so desperately and had no health problems? They wanted to rip her daughter from her, taking away her choice.

"Elena?" Elijah knocked on the door. "Are you alright?"

Elena brushed the tears away roughly, then said, "I'll be out in a minute." Her voice cracked and she winced.

Turning off the water, she dried herself off and pulled on a pair of panties. After a moment's consideration, she wrapped the towel around her and left the bathroom. Elijah looked her over, his dark eyes concerned.

"I'm okay." Elena's lips curled up in a facsimile of a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

Walking over to her dresser, she pulled out Elijah's t-shirt she'd claimed as hers. She pulled the garment over her head and frowned. The material no longer smelled like him and that had to change. Maybe she could return this one and get another.

Elena lay down on her bed and Elijah lay down facing her. He was there now. They didn't dare come near her with him with her. The cowards waited until he was gone to take her, but he was there, which meant no one dared try anything now.

"I failed you, Elena." His distressed eyes searched her face. "I swore to protect you and I failed you."

Elena reached over and combed her fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry."

"No."

"It's my fault you were taken. I knew the risks, and miscalculated."

"Stop."

"Stop what?"

"Stop blaming yourself. You got there in time. Our baby is safe." She caught his hand and placed it against Astrid's softly kicking feet.

"I'd like Freya to double-check, just to be sure."

"Yeah." Elena's eyes closed and she allowed herself to borrow some of his strength. "If you think it's best."

"Are you thirsty?" Elijah asked finally.

"Starving," she admitted. "They cut me."

Elijah shifted so that he was sitting against the headboard and held out his wrist. Sighing in relief, she sank her fangs into the thin skin there.

"I never want to see you like that again. It enraged me when I found you the first time like that, but this time, it was so much worse. I know you then, but I do now and I care about you. You've worked your way in and finding you like that, it scared me."

Elena rubbed his arm, wanting to comfort him, even though she couldn't bring herself to raise her head.

"You and Astrid mean everything to me."

Finally, Elena released her hold on his wrist and looked him in the eye.

"You did everything you could. And you got there before they could do more than scare me and make Astrid kick harder than usual." She leaned against him and sighed. "What's going to happen to them?"

"My siblings and our allies will handle the Strix and I'll think of something worthy of Maxfield's actions."

"Lock him up so he can't hurt anyone else."

"That's an idea." Elijah hummed in his throat. "Perhaps Freya would be willing to come up with something to help with that."

"How's Isobel?" Elena asked. "I know they neutralized her when they got me, but did they do something more?"

"They merely broke her neck. She was there and I'm assuming she'll be back once things are cleared away there. She's livid and wanted to help you in whatever way she could."

"Okay, good. If they'd killed her because of me…" Elena trailed off.

"They didn't. You were their goal. She didn't matter to them."

"Is John back?"

"He's on his way. He'd gone north to try to figure out what Maxfield was planning, but after they took you, he started back."

"What are we going to tell everyone? How are we going to explain you being Astrid's father?"

"We'll tell them the truth, that I crossed paths with one of the doctors who held you captive and they used me to impregnate you, but I'd never even so much as touched you until the day we rescued you."

"Okay. I just don't want people thinking you did something to me you didn't do."

"If people want clarification, I suppose I can explain that I'd dallied with Davenport, not knowing what she was doing or what she was planning, and she'd used my DNA because Maxfield did something to infuriate her."

Elena wrinkled her nose at the reminder that Elijah had slept with Davenport.

"I'm sorry, Elena. I swear, if I'd known," he shook his head.

"If you hadn't, it would have been Maxfield and I couldn't, I just couldn't."

Elijah cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb beneath her eye.

"So, yes, even though I might not like the idea, you wouldn't have been Astrid's father if you hadn't." Elena caught his wrist and pressed a kiss to his palm. "The how might be less than ideal, but I guess things seemed to have worked out for the better."

"You're incredibly generous," Elijah murmured.

"I just don't want to spend the rest of my eternity hating people for mistakes or holding grudges over whatever." She looked him in the eye. "The only ones hurt by my negativity is me, and the people around me. That kind of poison ruins lives. That doesn't mean we can't punish people for their sins, we just can't let ourselves focus on that, otherwise, we're going to be suffering for much longer than a human would."

Elijah rolled onto his back, taking her with him, and ran his hand over the back of her head.

"I thought I was content with my life, then you burned a trail through it, reminding me what it means to live, to be human."

Elena relaxed against him, her lids drifting closed.


	32. Chapter 32

Elena stood on the balcony flanked by Kol and Rebekah, with Marcel not far away. Below them, Freya, Finn, and Klaus stood behind Elijah, in a show of support, while a select number of each supernatural faction lined the walls around them, among them, Elena's family and friends from Mystic Falls.

"What should we do with you?" Elijah slowly circled the man slumped on the ground. The vampire was pure arrogance and cruelty now, in the mood for vengeance.

Maxfield's normally groomed appearance was gone, replaced by a disheveled mess of a man. To her surprise, Elena found herself unable to feel anything for him, not the faintest shred of compassion or even the smallest bit of hatred. It was as she'd felt anything she could possibly feel for him already and she wasn't capable of producing any other emotions towards him.

"You locked up and tortured a young woman whose only crime was that she was forcibly turned into a vampire. She never chose this life, never knew we were real until the day she died, and you made the shock of it all even worse."

"Filth." Maxfield spat.

"Is that the best you can come up with?" Elijah mocked. "I would have thought that a man as intelligent as you're supposed to be would come up with something a bit more, hm, creative. Though what else should I expect from someone who chose to do what you did?"

"She's a vampire."

"Yet, she was innocent of any crime, but you tortured her, enacting horrors I would only dole out on the worst offenders and you have the gall to set yourself above us."

Maxfield remained mutinously silent.

"When I asked Elena what she wanted to have done to you, she said she wanted you locked up. Do you want to know why?" Elijah brushed off his jacket with a flick of his wrist.

Maxfield's mouth tightened.

"So you couldn't hurt anyone else. That's what she said. She didn't want revenge. She just wanted to protect other people. After everything you did to her, you couldn't take away the kindness, the compassion that drew people to her before she turned."

"She's just a vampire, so what do I care?" Maxfield's mouth curled harshly around the words. "Your kind isn't capable of what you're describing."

"And that just goes to show you how little you really know about us." Elijah wet his lips with his tongue. "Which doesn't surprise me, considering you were foolish enough to act against my family."

Maxfield scoffed.

Elijah raised an eyebrow at Maxfield and said, "As much as I'd like to honor Elena's wishes regarding you, just locking you away is not enough, so I asked Freya to help me and together, we've come up with a solution, one that won't step outside what Elena has asked of us."

"What are you going to do to me?" Maxfield snorted.

"We are going to have you locked up in a psych ward, under the care of human doctors, and every night, when the sun starts to set, each second will seem like an eternity. No matter what medication they give you, it won't stop you from feeling this. There will be no escape."

Maxfield looked from Freya to Elijah, his eyes wide.

"I want you to fear the coming night as much as she was afraid of you. I want you to dread it, because that's not all that will happen when night falls." Elijah smirked now. "You will relive every terrible thing you've ever done to vampires, any vampire, as though it was happening to you, all the pain, all the torture. A hell of your own making if you will. So pain and time, stretching on together until the sun rises. Only to start all over again when the sun starts to drop below the horizon."

"You're a witch!" Maxfield protested, looking at Freya. "You're supposed to hate vampires."

"My siblings are the Original vampires, including my twin brother." Freya kept her face blank, but a storm brewed in her eyes. "We're family. We fight for and protect each other, always and forever. That promise extends to the next generation, including the child you tried to kill."

"I didn't know," Maxfield whined. "I thought it was-"

"You knew we swore to protect Elena and her baby," Freya cut him off sharply. "That should have been enough to warn you away from them, regardless of who Astrid's father is. If you really did know so much about us, you would know that we do not forgive suck attacks."

"What I don't understand," Kol spoke up then, "if you believed the child was yours, why attempt to kill it? Not just because it was a child that by the laws of magic shouldn't exist, but because you believed the child was yours. A person who has no right calling themselves a man, let alone a father would do something like that, especially if the mother wanted the baby, would do such a thing."

"Only a monster would try to rip a viable fetus away from a woman who wanted the child," Rebekah added.

"Do you honestly think that Elena would go through all of this for your child?" Klaus sneered. "She may be sweetness defined, and I do mean that, but I doubt even she could tolerate being pregnant with the child of someone who took so much away from her."

"Enough." Finn crossed his arms. "Carry out his punishment and get him out of here."

Elijah stepped back to stand beside Finn, and Freya started to chant. Fire encircled the doomed man and he shuddered as the spell took hold. For a moment, the only sound Elena could process was her own heartbeat, until suddenly, the fire went out, then Maxfield screamed, making Elena jump.

Rebekah rubbed her arm gently to help calm her as she said, "It's alright. He can't hurt you now."

"It's done." Freya flicked her hair out of her face.

Klaus tilted his head and two men Elena couldn't place stepped forward, grabbing Maxfield by his upper arms.

"You know what to do with him," Klaus said and they flashed away, taking the human who'd tormented her for so long away.

Once Maxfield disappeared, Elijah darted up the stairs to take Kol's place beside Elena, and she turned towards him.

"He's gone for good?" Elena asked, searching Elijah's face desperately.

"He is." Elijah wrapped his hand gently around her shoulder. "You will never have to endure his presence again."

"Good." Elena exhaled heavily and tears filled her eyes. "Why am I crying?"

"Because you're pregnant, love. And because you've just witnessed someone who's caused you so much pain being dealt his just desserts," Rebekah replied.

Nodding, she brought her hand to her face and sobs shook her shoulders. Elijah moved slowly towards her, then wrapped his arms around her and she cried into his shirt.

"Why?" she whimpered. "Why did this happen to me?"

Elijah said nothing as he held her, for there was no answer for her question.

"I never wanted any of this to happen. Why did they do this to me?"

"Because people want to change fate, to defy it, no matter who pays the price," Elijah finally said. "Whether it's creating the first vampires or trying to turn a vampire back human without the aid of magic, they don't care about what they do to us, what they force us to endure, so long as their selfish will is fulfilled."

A few more sobs shook her shoulders, then she inhaled slowly and exhaled.

"Are you alright?" he asked. His brows furrowed as his dark eyes searched her face.

"I'll be okay." Elena nodded and she blinked back the remainder of her tears.. Drawing a shuddering breath, she wrapped her arms more tightly around Astrid.

Elijah handed her his handkerchief and she wiped her tears away.

"Would you like to go back to your room?"

"Yeah." She looked around and caught Caroline's eye. Her blonde friend's brows furrowed in concern and Elena shook her head just a little. "I need to wash my face."

With that, she headed towards her bathroom and turned on the warm water. After rinsing away the last of the salty residue from her cheeks, Elena braced herself on the sink. Even though she'd seen Maxfield being spelled and then carried away, it just seemed so unreal, that the ones who hurt her would never come back.

Curling up in her bed, Elena buried her head under her pillow, as if she could shut out the world if she couldn't see it. A moment later, someone knocked on her door.

"It's me," Elijah said. "May I come in?"

"Yeah."

Elijah entered the room, taking the chair beside her bed, and Elena allowed his even breathing to draw her in and soothe her. As long as he was there, she knew she was safe. She'd been making progress, in separating herself from this need for Elijah, but this episode drove her right back to needing him as much as she ever had.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Elena shook her head.

"Elena?"

Just then, she remembered she had a pillow over her head and she moved so that she was lying on it.

"Shall I ask Cami to come up?"

Again, she shook her head and Elijah fell silent. She didn't want to talk. She just wanted to be there, with Elijah. It would have been better if he climbed into bed with her and held her, but him just being there was enough.

After a while, Elena looked at Elijah and asked, "Will he really suffer?"

"For the rest of his life."

"I can't believe I'm okay with someone suffering."

"No matter how good or kind someone is, sometimes we can't help but be glad when someone pays for their crimes."

"And the witch who helped them take me? What happened to her?"

"She's been adequately punished by her coven." Elijah swallowed thickly and his brows furrowed.

"What?"

"Celeste Dubois that was her name when I knew her, though she looked quite a bit different back then"

"Girlfriend?" A stab of jealousy shot through her and she struggled to keep it off her face.

"I suppose you could call her that."

"What happened?"

"A few centuries ago, Niklaus killed one too many people in a short space of time, and witches ended up paying the price, including Celeste, at least in her first body, and she wanted revenge against me and my family. So she jumped from witch to witch, taking their bodies and killing them in the process, while she plotted our demise since I valued my brother over her."

"Oh, wow. So, what does the punishment entail?"

"She was sent to the ancestors and from what Davina said, they've bound her so she can never cross back over into the land of the living. Davina hinted that there was more, but she didn't say what." Elijah sighed. "Since it's witch business, Freya will more than likely find out eventually and tell us when she does, so I won't pry."

"What happened to the witch who's body she stole? Is she alright?"

"The real Sabine has been returned to her coven to live out the rest of her life."

"So, everyone who's directly hurt me since I turned has been dealt with."

"Yes."

Elena rubbed her belly softly. Astrid's movements were much softer now, as though she sensed that the world was at peace once more.

"How is she?" Elijah nodded towards Elena's hand.

"Quieter. She's calmer now."

"May I?" He shifted forward.

"Yeah."

Gently, Elijah placed his hand over the swell where his baby lay. His dark eyes softened and his lips curled up.

"She's a fighter, our daughter," he murmured. "Already so strong and she's not even aware yet."

"She gets that from her father."

"Her mother's quite the fighter too." Elijah glanced up at Elena and caught her hand, pressing a kiss to the inside of her wrist. "She survived hell and is still able to love."

Elena's heart caught in her chest. Was it possible that-?

No. She pushed the thought away. Allowing herself to even consider going down that route was only opening herself up to more pain. Elijah was here for Astrid and that's all she could hope for, him being a good father and them working together to raise their baby, no matter how she felt about him.

Besides, she needed to heal more before she allowed herself to become involved with anyone like that. She couldn't base her healing on her feelings for someone, because love like that could fade and where would that leave her? Now that the physical monsters in her life were dealt with, she needed to face the mental ones head on. Then and only then, could she explore this. Until then, Elijah would be her daughter's father and the one who supported her.

Leaning over, he pressed his lips against her stomach.

"Rest well, little one. You've got to grow a bit more before you're ready to meet us."


	33. Chapter 33

Elena watched the street below from her perch in the attic, wishing she could be a part of the masses, but afraid to walk out the door. What if Elijah was mistaken and someone out there took her? She'd already been snatched from the very home in which she now resided.

"Knock knock," Cami said. "Elijah told me you were up here."

"Do you know what happened recently?"

"I heard rumors." Cami brushed off an old trunk and sat down on it. "You were kidnapped from the house and then were saved by the Mikaelsons before they could accomplish their goal."

"Yeah." Elena stared at her hands for a long moment. "Something came out that I wasn't ready for people to know, but Elijah didn't have a choice but to reveal it if he wanted to stop them in time."

"What was that?"

"Davenport used Elijah's genetic material. He's Astrid's father."

Cami's eyebrow rose, but she remained silent.

"Davenport got angry when Maxfield claimed credit for something she helped with, so she went out and the first guy she got to sleep with her, that's who she used, just so Maxfield wouldn't have any part in her experiment on me."

"Are you angry with him?"

Elena blinked, startled by her question.

"He slept with the woman who hurt you."

She thought her answer through carefully before replying, "I was angry at first, and said some not nice things to him about it, but most days I don't think about it anymore."

"Why?"

"Because he's almost as much her victim as I am."

"How so?"

"She used a man who values honor when she raped me. She didn't care who she hurt to get what she wanted and he got caught up in that. She was just a one-night stand to him, then she did what she did. She was the one to commit the crime, not him."

"You talked about this with him already?"

"Yeah. I guess he was trying to make me see that I wasn't alone in this and that being unable to fight back didn't make me weak, since she got to one of the strongest, oldest vampires on earth."

"So, how do you feel about having him being her father?"

"Guilty," she admitted in a small voice.

"Why guilty?"

"Because I was relieved when I found out Davenport wasn't going to put anything of Maxfield's inside me. She destroyed the embryo they'd created with his DNA and used Elijah instead." Elena swallowed thickly. "I was relieved that it was someone else's spawn and it makes me sick."

"Why does it make you sick?"

"Because she brought an innocent person into the mess and I was as happy as anyone could be about a situation like that." Elena blinked back tears and hung her head. "When they were talking about forcing me to have anything of Maxfield's in me, I started making plans to either get rid of it or kill myself. Then Davenport used someone else and suddenly, it wasn't so bad."

"And you think it makes you selfish that you were glad."

"Wasn't I?"

"Was it your plan to meet the father and force him to be a part of the baby's life?"

"No. I wanted to get out and maybe have in a little house with my child, and have Enzo come around once in a while to check on us."

"Just the two of you?"

"I thought her father was human and I didn't want to drag someone into this whole mess who had no business being involved, so why not have it be just the two of us?"

"You didn't want to fall in love?"

Elena stared at her hands as she spoke, "Enzo said that believing there was a love out there waiting for me would give me hope that I'd get out, but once I got pregnant, I had something else to fight for, even if I wasn't sure how I felt about it."

"Do you still believe that a love like that can exist for you?"

She looked out at the street again, a lump swelling in her throat.

The one she wanted to feel that way for her was focused on the baby she carried; she was just a part of the package. Yes, he cared about her, but how could he feel that way for her after everything he had to do to help her heal? He'd seen her at her most broken and brought her out of the hell she'd been lost in. None of that would encourage him to feel anything more for her than friendship.

"Elena?"

"I'm too broken," she whispered. "They stole too much from me."

"So, you don't think that a rape survivor can find love after they've been attacked?"

Elena glanced at Cami, one brow raised in surprise.

"You don't think that there are good people out there who aren't afraid of your scars? Who will love you as the survivor you are?"

"I'm not just a rape survivor, though, am I?"

"That's not not all I asked though," Cami said gently. "I asked if you believed that a love like that can exist for you."

"I used to believe." She shook her head. "I used to be so hopeful, so positive."

"I'm guessing that was before being imprisoned and tortured. You can't hold yourself to those same standards."

"But it's what I was like."

"That you didn't know what it meant to be betrayed so deeply, to have the entire foundation you based your life on ripped away."

Elena scoffed.

"I know it's frustrating, remembering what you used to be like and not being able to be like that now. But the brain is an organ that can be injured and when it's injured, it can leave you disabled while you recover."

"I can't even leave the house!"

"Elena, give yourself time. You're asking yourself to do what you used to, before you were hurt." Cami pursed her lips for a moment. "Would you demand that someone who was in a car accident to run immediately after waking up from a coma?"

"No."

"Then stop doing the same thing to yourself. Stop trying to run when you need to relearn how to walk."

"It hurts."

"Therapy is painful, whether physical or emotional," Cami said softly. "You need to retrain your brain how to feel and react, just like someone might reteach themselves how to walk. It's how you'll finally be able to live, instead of simply existing in the shadow of what was done to you."

"Once I get there, then I'll be able to love. Because right now, I'm just stuck and afraid of opening myself up to being hurt again."

"It will happen. In time. For now, focus on your daughter and let yourself heal."

"Easier said than done." Elena gave Cami a half smile.

"Then I'm going to say this before I leave you alone for a while," Cami stood up, "be kind to yourself, Elena. You were a championship level athlete, so you're used to perfection. But that girl didn't know what it meant to endure what you've gone through."

"So, I pretty much have to stop demanding too much of myself and learn what it means to be who I am now, instead of trying to be who I was."

"Essentially."

"Thanks, Cami."

"One day, you'll get where you want to be, just give yourself time, alright?"

"I'll try."

"Try. It's all any of us can do, as long as we try our best." Cami headed towards the door.

"Day after tomorrow?"

"If you want to meet then, yes."

"Alright, see you then."

Cami waved, then descended the stairs.

"Elena!" Rebekah called. "We need your help!"

Elena headed in the direction of Rebekah's voice and came to a halt when she saw the nursery, her eyes wide.

"What the-?" Elena surveyed the mess of paint cans and half done walls. "I'm not sure what you think I could do for you, since I have no idea what's going on."

"I was just wondering if you'd think it would be a good idea to pain the ceiling?"

"I think it could be pretty."

"What about some glow in the dark stars too?"

"Honestly? I'm trusting the two of you to come up with something great."

"Are you sure? Astrid will be your only child and you might regret not having more of a say in things."

"And spoil your fun? You seem to like doing this more than I do, so I'm just going to let you two do your thing."

Caroline's phone buzzed and she read the screen, her brows furrowed.

"Is something wrong?" Elena asked.

She needed something, anything else to talk about right now, just to get her out of her own head, so she didn't stress herself out by overthinking. And maybe, she could do something good or at least listen while they talked about problems that didn't involve her.

"Jo, Alaric's girlfriend is having trouble and Bonnie has been roped in to help." Caroline chewed on her lower lip, clearly concerned.

"What's going on?" Rebekah looked up from mixing her paint.

"A witch friend of ours is struggling with her pregnancy and she's just crossing the two month mark. They're not sure if she'll survive since the twins are both already so strong. Her coven isn't sure what to do since no other woman among them can carry them."

"Too bad she's not a vampire." Elena rubbed her belly softly. "As strong as Astrid is, she'd kill a human, yet I'm okay."

"Is that-?" Caroline looked from Elena to Rebekah. "Can magic be used to transfer a baby from one woman to another?"

"Kol!" Rebekah shouted. "Get up here!"

"If you're asking about paint colors, I've got no interest in getting mixed up in that!"

"It's about magic!" Rebekah sighed, then murmured, "I know better than to ask you about anything like that."

Kol appeared in the doorway a moment later, smirking when Elena jumped.

"Jerk," she mumbled, shrinking in on herself a little.

"Sorry, darling. Didn't mean to frighten you." He then turned his attention to Rebekah. "Yes, sister?"

"Is it possible to transfer a baby from one woman's womb to another's with magic and for the children to be alright?"

"Hmmm." Kol's eyes narrowed and he glanced at Elena, concern flitting across his features. "What's the species?"

"Taking a witch's babies, since she's not strong enough to carry them, and transfer them to a vampire so she can carry them to term."

"I've heard of it done. Not often, mind you. But it is possible. And, Elena is proof that a vampire can carry a baby."

"I'm gonna text Bonnie. Maybe they'll be willing to try it." Caroline paused. "But who's going to be the vampire to carry them?"

"I will," Rebekah said. "I'll have to talk to Marcel about it first before the spell is done so he's not caught off guard, but I'll do it."

"Okay. I'll let her know."

"You might wanna have that conversation with Marcel soon," Kol cautioned.

"I'll talk to him as soon as he gets back." Rebekah pulled out her own phone and sent a message. "But since having my own child is out of the question, this will be the next best thing. I'll know what it means to be a mother, even if the children aren't exactly mine. But I will have a part in bringing them into the world, and that's what I want."

"Put it like that, Marcel won't fight you. Since he can't give you a child, I don't think he'll be overly upset if you become a surrogate."

"And while we're at it, we can find a way to stop the Merge."

"The what?" Elena asked.

"The Merge, when twins are born into the Gemini coven, which is what Jo is a part of, they have to battle it out once they reach maturity, and the strongest one emerges the victor and becomes their leader. But Jo and Alaric don't want that for their children," Caroline explained.

"They do what?" Elena squeaked. She wrapped her hands around her belly, unable to fathom forcing Astrid to endure such a thing, were she a twin. Who allowed that to happen?

"Yeah, it's as barbaric as it sounds, which is why we're trying to find a way around it."

"Wow. And I thought kids dying and being brought back was bad. At least those girls came back. But to force twins to battle each other." Elena leaned against the wall as the horror of what she'd just learned washed over her.

"Magic can be brutal, darling," Kol said softly.

"It shouldn't be this brutal. People shouldn't have to die just to fuel their communities or for others to become leaders. It's all wrong and can't be what nature intended when magic came into the human race."

"Elijah was right." Rebekah smiled. "We do need more people like you around to remind us of what it means to be gentle."

Elena looked down at the floor, unsure of how to respond.

"Elena, it's true. You're still so human, something most of us forgot what it meant to be like." Rebekah pursed her lips, considering something. "I think you're far stronger than you give yourself credit for. You survived hell, yet you're still able to be kind."

"This is the longest I've gone without being around Elijah since he rescued me. I mean, I want him around, but I don't desperately need him and feel like my world will fall apart if he's not right beside me."

"You're healing, love," Rebekah said. "You may not see the progress like we do, but you're making leaps and bounds."

Caroline's phone buzzed again and she checked the screen.

"What is it?"

"They're desperate. Alaric is bringing Jo down now."


	34. Chapter 34

A tall man with dirty blond hair carried a dark haired woman up the stairs. Alaric and Jo.

"This way," Rebekah said.

Elena pressed herself against the wall as they passed her. Jo's heartbeat faltered and Elena caught Elijah's eye in concern. Elijah shook his head, his brow furrowed, his expression unsure.

Were they too late? She hoped not. If they could save her baby when she was so close to desiccation, they could save Jo too, couldn't they?

"Come, please." Elijah placed his hand on her elbow. "The magic they're about to do could cause Astrid some distress."

"Right." Elena allowed Elijah to guide her to the library. "She sounded so weak."

"I know." Elijah's mouth thinned.

"You think she's going to die, don't you?" Elena whispered as they sat down.

"As weak as she is, this spell will most likely kill her, no matter what they do to try to save her." He exhaled slowly. "But if they don't do this, the children will die too and there's nothing else they can do that will save them."

"So their only hope is to save the children and try to do what they can for Jo, even though it's not likely she'll live?"

"Yes. But it would be better to attempt to do something, rather than giving them all up to die."

"It's just so sad." Elena wrapped both hands around her belly reflexively, remembering her own brush with losing her baby, now colored with the lenses of how much she'd come to love her. "I hope she lives."

Astrid kicked against her hand and Elena rubbed her gently.

"Is she alright?"

"She's just stretching."

"May I feel?"

Elena nodded and Elijah reached over, flattening his hand against her, sending a shiver down her spine. His scent invading her nose made it difficult to think about anything, except how near he was to her.

"It's strange, how sometimes things fall apart, so something better can come into our lives and once in a while, what we want most is delayed until we think it will never happen, just so we're in the place we need to be for it to happen." He smiled. "You came into my life, carrying my baby, giving me the chance to be a father. Now, Rebekah gets to experience motherhood with the twins and the knowledge that no matter what, she'll forever be the reason those children live."

Elijah continued rubbing the spot where Astrid kicked.

"So, what do you do in your spare time when you're not embroiled in some supernatural drama? Besides journaling enough to fill a library?" Elena teased, then bit her lip, unsure as to whether she'd crossed a line.

"I play the piano."

"For your family?"

"Once in a while, but mostly for myself."

"I used to want to learn to play, but I never had time," she mused.

"I can teach you."

"I'd like that." Elena grinned at him. "So, what else do you like to do?"

"Sometimes I like to go to the opera, depending on what's being performed. Or I'll take a walk through the city and marvel at how much it's changed since we first came here."

"That sounds lonely, doing things by yourself," she whispered, her heart aching for the man beside her.

"I suppose it can be, from a certain point of view." He leaned back, his lips pursed. "But letting people in, it's difficult for me, because once I let people in, I give them everything, so it's just easier to keep to myself rather than risk being left or betrayed again."

"You let me in, sort of."

"You needed me to let you in."

"And you need to be needed."

He smiled sheepishly. "I suppose I do."

"Now, you'll always be needed." Elena glanced down to her belly where his child grew.

"Most children don't want to have their parents around all the time."

"But they do want to have parents to go back home to. They'll always want to know that they have that support. No matter where she goes, Astrid will always need you."

"And you?"

Elena looked at him, studying his face, searching for meaning behind his words.

"Will you need me too?" There was an uncertainty in his eyes that she never associated with him before.

"Yes," Elena finally admitted. "No matter how much I heal, I think I'll always need you around, or at least want you around."

"Until you fall in love with someone."

Was it just her imagination? Or did he sound upset when he said that?

"I've got my baby, and you. And Enzo when he's in town. Why would I want to fall in love?" Elena chewed on her cheek. "You're more likely to end up in a relationship than I am."

"Or not. You and the baby are all I need, aside from my siblings."

"We don't choose who we fall in love with or when."

"No, we don't." Elijah looked at her from under his lashes. "Sometimes, we think the chance for love has passed us by because things went so wrong in a previous encounter, then it sneaks up on us, catching us by surprise."

Elena's breath caught in her throat. Was he saying what she thought?

"I've fallen in love with you, Elena." He stood up, presenting her with his back, hanging his head. Finally, he turned to her, his face earnest. "I won't ask anything of you or demand that you reciprocate. I just want you to know this."

"You love me?" Elena whispered.

"Yes."

Elena wrapped her arms around her middle, attempting to curl in on herself, an act made more difficult by her baby. She wasn't expecting this sudden vulnerability at hearing he felt the same way about her that she did for him.

"Forgive me." He hung his head. "I never should have said anything."

Elijah was opening the door when Elena said, "Wait."

He turned to look at her, a fragile hope smoldering in his dark eyes.

"I need to heal, a bit more before I'm ready for anything like that, you know this."

"Yes." He shut the door and crossed slowly to stand in front of her. He sat on his heels and caught one of Elena's hands in his.

"Just give me time, please."

"I'll give you all the time you want." He looked down and swallowed. "If you do fall in love with someone else, tell me, please. That's all I ask."

"I don't think I could."

Elijah met her eyes, that hope smoldering there once more.

"You saved me, Elijah." She cupped his cheek.

"Don't let that be the only reason you may end up feeling something for me. Love me for me, not for what I've done for you."

"It's a good place to start though."

"How so?"

"It's given me a reason to trust you and let you in."

"It wasn't part of my plan, feeling this way for you." Elijah kissed her wrist, a soft smile on his face. "But I can never regret it."

"So, what happens now?"

"Now, you heal, and know that I'm right here, for whatever you need. I want you to want me for me, not because you're carrying my baby or because of my blood in your system." The earnesty in his eyes tugged at her heart.

"What makes you say that?"

"You know that blood sharing between vampires is very personal."

Elena nodded in confirmation.

"Considering my blood is the only thing you can drink, it could influence you. And for you to make a decision just because it's what I want, I can't do that. I want you to want me because it's what you want, not because you're giving me what I want."

"So, we'll just focus on Astrid and whatever happens between us, happens."

"Yes."

Pained shouting from upstairs caught their attention and Elena jumped to her feet, frightened by the sound, remembering all the times she'd heard Enzo screaming in the lab. Elijah caught her arm and pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arm around her. Elena clutched at his shirt

"Jo!" Alaric screamed. "No! Do something!"

"She's gone," Bonnie said wearily. "I'm so sorry, Ric."

"No, there has to be something you can do, a spell!"

"Mr. Saltzman, we can't," Freya cut in, gentle, but firm.

"Please, you have to save her!"

"There's nothing we can do."

Alaric started crying then, great heartbroken sobs.

Elena strained to listen to what was going on upstairs and the faintest hint of relief washed over her. There were still two tiny heartbeats. The twins had survived. So, even though their mother was dead, they would live.

As he cried, Elena found herself wishing she knew him better so she could hug him, to try to ease some of his pain.

"I'm gonna text Damon. Ric needs his friends," Bonnie said.

"Alright. I'm going to lie down." Rebekah sounded tired.

"Get some rest. You're pregnant now." Freya's voice moved around the room. "Bonnie, her coven will want to claim her body as well, so please message them as well."

"Right."

Elena moved to the door, needing to be there for Bonnie. She glanced at Elijah over her shoulder and he nodded once, a slight smile curling his lips.

"Your friends need you. We can talk more later."

With that, Elena made her way to Bonnie's side.

"Bonnie?" Elena approached the witch slowly.

"Hey." Bonnie blinked back tears and leaned against the wall. "I tried."

"I know." She hesitated for a moment, then wrapped her arms around Bonnie's shoulders.

Bonnie buried her face into Elena's neck and silent sobs shook her shoulders.

It felt odd, hugging someone after so long, but Elena didn't let go. Bonnie needed someone there and Caroline couldn't be expected to be the strong friend all the time.

"I failed," Bonnie whispered. "I tried. I tried so hard, and I failed."

"You saved the twins, Bonnie. Those children are still alive. Because of you."

"I couldn't save Jo though. I failed Ric. I promised him I'd help and I couldn't save her." Bonnie cried harder.

"Not even the most powerful witches can save everyone. Sometimes nature says otherwise." Elena rubbed her back. "You're so strong, Bonnie. You try to save as many people as you can, but once in a while, nature makes a demand that you can't fight."

Bonnie nodded, but didn't let go.

"I'm proud of you. You tried even when an entire coven gave up."

Bonnie let go, and stepped back a little, just as Damon, Stefan, and Enzo entered the hallway.

"He's in there." Bonnie pointed down the hall. "The twins are still alive, but we couldn't save her."

"How you feeling, kid?" Enzo asked Elena.

"I'm doing good."

"Elijah still treating you right?"

"He's the best." Elena couldn't fight the smile that crossed her face. Elijah loved her. His attention towards her wasn't only because she carried his baby, but because of her too. He wanted both of them, her and Astrid. She wasn't just part of the package to get his child.

"Good." Enzo turned his attention to Bonnie and gave her a soft smile, which Bonnie returned.

Was he-? Elena looked back and forth from one to the other, curious. Had Enzo found his great love? The one he'd held out hope for when they sliced and diced him? Had he fallen in love with Bonnie?

Enzo caught her curious gaze and grinned.

"I told you," he murmured under his breath, then followed after Damon.

Damon and Alaric's voices drifted from the room, making Elena feel like she needed to bow out. She didn't know Alaric or Jo, so she felt like an intruder on his pain.

"I wish you could have known her," Bonnie said softly.

"Would you tell me about her?"

"I'd like that."

Elena led the way to a sitting room and Bonnie sat down across from her. Caroline joined them a moment later.

"Rebekah's asleep and the twin's heartbeats are strong," the blonde said as she sank into the sofa beside Bonnie. "Marcel's with her now."

"So, you wanna know about Josette?"

"She obviously means a lot to y'all, so yeah, I would." Elena rubbed her belly where Astrid kicked.


	35. Chapter 35

"When will your friends be back?" Elijah asked, looking up from his book.

"Once things are situated and all of Jo's affairs are in order." Elena swallowed, suddenly nervous. "R-Rebekah's asleep and Keelin is keeping an eye on her, until they're sure she's going to be fine."

"Elena?"

"You said we'd talk later. Things have been too busy for us to talk 'til now, so let's talk"

Elijah set the book too one side and uncrossed his legs, patting the seat beside him.

"I heard something, one of the wolves referenced it a few weeks ago, then again just recently."

"What did they say?"

"That you apparently have a type."

"What type is that?"

"Pregnant girls who need your help. First Hayely and now me."

"I had feelings for Hayley, yes, but it wasn't because she was pregnant. Her pregnancy just made sure she crossed my path." He straightened his legs out and leaned back. "If they think my feelings faded once she was no longer pregnant, they're mistaken."

"So what was it?"

"It's hardly honorable to desire another man's wife. Encouraging myself to continue having affections for a married woman went against every ideal I've ever held."

"So that's why you tried to find something to do out of town, like trying to find me. To create distance."

"Yes. And in this case, distance set my heart free. Once I was no longer around her, I realized that continuing to fan the flames of my romantic inclinations towards her was poisoning both of us. She needs to be happy with Jack for this relationship to work and I needed to walk away."

"Then you met Davenport and in turn me."

"Yes."

"So what made you decide to really let go of how you felt about her?"

He sighed. "After some separation, I realized that Hayley and I would more than likely have destroyed each other. We brought out things in each other that just shouldn't be. Don't get me wrong, Hayley is a good woman, but she and I just weren't meant to be. So while it hurt when she chose Jack, he's far better for her than I am and then fate decided you and I needed to be in each others' lives."

"I guess sometimes things fall apart so other things could fall into place."

"Something better for everyone." Elijah smiled at her.

Elena turned to face him, then braced her head on her hand and drew her feet up onto the seat.

"You think so?"

"I know so. Jack is as perfect for Hayley as anyone can be and you and I fit together far better than I could have ever hoped anyone could with me. You remind me of what it's like to be human, of the way I used to be before my mother turned us."

"The ancient vampire and the ex-prisoner."

How could any of this be real? Living in this beautiful house with a handsome man professing his love while his baby grew inside her, what if it was all just a dream? What if she'd finally snapped and this was a creation of her broken mind? What if she was desiccating and this was just a hallucination to try to hide from the pain of drying out? She'd been able to create a skating rink so real she lost touch with her physical body for a while when they cut into her. So it would make sense if she could make a place like that now, except bringing in other characters, people she knew would be able to take the Augustines on.

"What's wrong?" Elijah traced the furrow between her brows with one finger.

"I'm afraid."

"Of what?" His face twisted in confusion.

"That I'll wake up in the cell and all of this has been nothing but my brain trying to cope with everything they've done to me."

"This is real, Elena." Elijah reached over and caught one of her hands in his. "You're here, you're safe, and I love you."

Elena squeezed his hand and blinked back the tears that had formed.

"I'll tell you that every day if I have to, until you have no doubts."

"My brain just can't seem to cope with the fact that my life is happy now."

"How so?"

"I keep thinking things."

Elijah shifted her so that she was seated on his lap, her head tucked under his chin.

"What sort of things are you thinking?"

"What if you change your mind? What if I'm not enough? What if this is all in my head and I'm not free? The list goes on and on."

"No matter what, you are enough and I will always care about you." Elijah pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Whether we're in a romantic relationship or not a hundred years from now, which I would very much like for us to be, I will always care and want you to be happy."

"Promise?"

"I give you my word."

Elena rested her head against his chest and exhaled slowly.

"I want you to be happy, and I'd very much like you to be happy with me."

"Guess this is something else to talk to Cami about. How to deal with these- these-"

"Intrusive thoughts," Elijah supplied.

"Yeah."

Elijah brushed his fingers through her hair in silence for a long moment, until Elena moved off his lap and shifted herself so that she was leaning against the other arm of the sofa. In this position she could see his face better.

"It's getting more awkward to move." Elena rubbed her belly. "She's getting so big."

"She's almost ready to meet us."

Elena smiled at him and relaxed as best as she could against the arm of the couch.

"When you say I remind you of what it's like to be human, do you mean not ripping everyone's hearts out just for making you mad?"

"That's part of it, yes." Elijah chuckled. "Make no mistake, I'll still kill anyone who threatens us, but being around you, I remember the ideals I held then, what I expected of myself and wanted from the people around me."

"How could I inspire that?" Elena leaned back so she could see his face.

"You survived hell, yet you remained kind and I wanted to be worthy of the way you look at me."

"You really love me," Elena whispered, the realization sinking in through the layers of protection she'd put up around her mind and her heart swelled with it.

"Yes. I really do."

"It's not just Astrid you want, but me too."

"Yes." Elijah ran his hand up and down her ankle.

Elena smiled and studied him from under her lashed. She wanted to know how it felt to kiss him, to- She cut that thought off before it could fully form. As much as she wanted to know how it felt, the thought scared her.

"If you keep looking at me like that, I will be very tempted to kiss you."

She bit her lip and her gaze became trained on the floor.

"And that's why I won't, because you're not ready."

"You're in love with a broken girl." Shame swelled in her breast. She couldn't let the man who loved her and who she loved be more than a close friend physically speaking. Wasn't that what romance was about, doing things like that with the one you loved? And she failed in that.

"Don't, Elena." He moved so that he was kneeling in front of her. "The way you were broken, it means intimacy of any kind can be difficult, especially since the only way you can feed is to participate in a very intimate act. So you have to draw a line somewhere while you heal."

"Looks like my next session with Cami is going to be full. How to deal with intrusive thoughts and my intimacy issues."

"Take your time, Elena. Yes, I want to kiss you and more, but I don't want you to kiss me if you're having to force yourself to. Heal at your own pace, because simply being around you and touching you is enough until you're ready for that."

"I want to kiss you, but I-"

"You don't have to explain." Elijah cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb across her skin. "The fact that you let me do this is enough. I promise."

His acceptance of her limitations sent a sudden flash of courage down her spine, chasing away the fear, and Elena leaned forward, pressing her lips against his. For a brief moment, Elijah moved his lips across hers gently, before pulling back.

"That was unexpected," he whispered. "Not that I mind, but don't make yourself do something or feel like you have to prove that you want more with me."

"I do want to kiss you."

"So may I continue to kiss you like that."

"Sometimes." Elena bit her lip to try to control the smile.

"I'll ask before I kiss you and if you can't let me, for whatever reason, tell me. How does that sound?"

"Okay. I can do that." She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed his palm.

"Don't push yourself. I would hate to know that we did something together that you regret."

Elena nodded.

His phone buzzed and he checked the screen.

"Something wrong?"

"Just the Triad being punished for meddling with things they have no business bothering with."

"The who?"

"A group intent on wiping out every single supernatural being out there. Kol, Freya, and Niklaus just dealt with their living prison, Malavore. They freed the prisoners first so they could take the creature out without killing them too." His mouth thinned.

"Who's Malavore what's it?"

"Malavore wasn't a person. It's little more than a spelled puddle of mud in Georgia. But it developed a consciousness of sorts after so many supernatural people were forced into it." His mouth twisted in disgust. "Freya found evidence that it used gollums to father at least one child."

"Gollum?"

"In it's proper use, a gollum is a protector of sorts, something to be used to save people, but Malavore took what it found out about them and created a male body so it could father a child it could use for its own ends."

"Oh, my god!" Her stomach twisted as Elijah's words filtered into her mind.

"Freya used her blood and Niklaus's to weaken Malavore enough that they could destroy it. Since they were born before Malavore was created, and it was created using a vampire, a witch, and a werewolf, they have the power and knowledge necessary."

His phone buzzed again and his brow furrowed.

"Something more?"

"A boy Kol thinks might be one of Malavore's creations is in foster care. He's planning on taking Davina with him to find the boy."

"What's going to happen to him?"

"We don't know. We'll figure it out once he's here."

"This place is becoming a regular collection of supernatural children who shouldn't exist. Hope, Astrid, Alaric's twins, and now this boy. It's like the X-men's mansion."

"It is becoming like that, isn't it?" Elijah chuckled.

"They won't be able to go to a regular school, especially Hope and Astrid."

"What are you thinking?"

"What if we made a place like that?" Elena's eyes shone with excitement. "The governor's mansion isn't being used regularly. We could make dorms, classrooms, all of it, so children who can't go to a human school can get an education. If we need more buildings, it's got the space. And it's secluded enough, from what I've heard, that the children don't have to hide what they can do on the grounds."

"Hmmm." Elijah mulled the thought over in his mind. "We do have the resources where we can do this and enough time before the Mikaelson and Saltzman girls need the place."

"But there are children out there who need help right now."

"What gave you this idea?"

"When I was human, I used to dream of making a foundation for people who wanted to skate, but couldn't could get the resources on their own, scholarships and products and all that. So that idea just kind of morphed into this one."

"Would you like to help oversee this? Since it's your plan?"

"Could I?" Elena's face lit up. "Maybe one day soon we can go out to the governor's mansion so I can get a better idea of what we're working with, but I'd like to get started as soon as possible."

"We can do that."

"What about now?" Elena found herself more than eager to get started on this project.

There were people out there, children who were lost and needed help right now. Maybe that's why fate allowed her to endure what she did, so she'd understand what it meant to have a place to come to be safe, so she could help provide a place for others.

"Get changed." Elijah smiled. "I'll drive you as soon as you're ready."

Her face lit up as she clambered off the couch and headed up the stairs.

Elijah straightened, a relieved smile on his face. Elena had found something to work on, a project to get her out of her own head and suddenly, she was blossoming again. Focusing on other people's needs helped her feel less self-conscious about her own. All it took for her to leave the house was gentleness and a reason. The woman he loved was finally coming out of her shell and becoming the person he knew she could be.


	36. Chapter 36

Elena explored the house slowly, taking everything in.

As she went from room to room, she could imagine students there, finding acceptance they might not get anywhere else.

"We could start with these rooms as dorms, two per room. And hire a person to be the monitor," Elena said, gesturing towards one hallway. "And we can go ahead and break ground for dorms out there, so they're ready when we find more students. Once there's enough students, we can start splitting them up according to age, and have the youngest in the house with the older ones in the separate dorms."

"What about classrooms?"

"The second floor. That can be for classes, and the first floor can be rec rooms and dining area since that's where the kitchen is."

"There are secret halls and rooms in the house that we need to consider."

"Depending on what the rooms are like, we can use some of them to create a place for werewolves to lock themselves away during the full moon." Elena chewed on her lip as she considered her options. "And if we do need more room, Caroline mentioned that the Salvatore brothers own in a boarding house that's no longer in business. Maybe they'd be willing to open their doors too."

"You're already planning for a second school and we're still working on the first."

"I think there's enough people out there who need a place like this, so we'll make it work."

"Perhaps I could call Stefan, let him know it was your idea, and see what he says about it."

"If he wants to talk to me directly, he'll have to text if he is interested."

"I'll talk to the supernatural faction leaders and see if they would be willing to lend their aid in the building." Elijah wrapped his arms around her, pressing his chest against her back.

"That sounds good." Elena kissed his cheek and leaned back into his embrace. "And once she gets back, I'll ask Caroline if she'd like to help us. She's got the kind of personality to be successful in something like this."

"I wonder if Finn would be interested. He's always looking for ways to keep the monster at bay and teaching others to do the same." Elijah kissed her temple, then kissed down her face until he got to her ear. "And if there are vampire students who need guidance, I think he'd like that even more."

"You think so?"

"I know my brother well enough that I think he would like nothing more than to be able to mold young minds into respecting life and the spirits of nature." His hands framed their baby and he sighed before pressing his lips against her shoulder.

She was able to enjoy his touch for a few moments, then, her heart started pounding and she had to close her eyes to focus enough to draw a breath.

"You need me to let go, don't you?"

"Yeah."

He released his hold on her, taking her hand in his and linking their fingers together.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm a patient man, Elena." He lifted her hand to his lips. "I made you a promise and I'm going to keep it."

"You're too good to me."

"No, Elena. You are good," Elijah murmured, his eyes soft.

Elena leaned against him as they walked towards the stairs, resting her head against his arm.

"I wonder if Isobel would be willing to teach here, at least in the beginning to get us started," Elena mused. "She and Alaric both are teachers. Alaric might be willing to get involved, at least once his daughters are old enough to attend."

"You're trying to find a place for everyone that you care about and the people they care about."

"Is that a bad thing, wanting them to be happy?"

"Not at all."

As they moved through the second floor, Elena pictured how it would look, once the remodeling was finished, classrooms with students bent over their studies, a place where they could learn everything they could about themselves.

"Are you sure your siblings won't mind us doing this?"

"This house isn't being used for anything that we can't use one of the other properties for and I think it's time it was introduced to goodness after the history its had."

"So it just sits here?"

"It's been used about three times since we built the compound. Marcel's made comments about wanting to destroy it."

"Why?"

"His father, the governor, was his owner."

"Marcel was a slave?" Elena asked, shocked.

"Yes. Niklaus freed him from his slavery to the plantation here, then raised him as his son."

"Wow. Can't say that I blame him for wanting this place to burn."

"But I think even Marcel would agree that turning it into a school for the children would be the best way of erasing the governor's legacy. Making a place for those who were rejected, the lost and alone, and giving them a place to belong."

"I had no idea that was where he started."

"He doesn't talk about it much and it only comes up when relevant."

Elena wrapped one hand around her belly as Astrid started to kick.

As Elena rubbed her bump, she allowed herself to picture the girl wondering the halls. She would most likely have dark hair and eyes, and she'd be beautiful. How could she not be, with Elijah for her father?

This city was Astrid's home and if things worked out like she hoped, where she'd go to school. They were making this for her and for others like her, the supernatural children who wanted to learn, but for whatever reason couldn't go to a regular school.

"What are you thinking?"

"Of Astrid, going to school here and the life we can build for her."

"Our daughter will be happy. Together, we'll make sure of that." Elijah kissed the top of her head and squeezed her hand.

As Elena looked around, she noticed just how the rooms were decorated.

"We'll have to find a place for all this furniture since I don't think kids would have much appreciation for antiques," she murmured, more to herself than to her companion.

"I'll add it to the list." Elijah pulled out his phone and typed something into it.

"What will happen to it?"

"We have other places to put it. Don't worry. I'll handle that."

Elena chewed on her cheek for a moment, then said, "I should be doing more, instead of depending on you to do all this."

"I don't mind. It's important to you and it will be good for our daughter, so I'll make sure it happens."

All at once, heart started to pound and she drew a deep breath, attempting to calm herself. Why was she panicking? Before she could make sense of what was happening, her mind started to splinter and she gripped Elijah's arm more tightly in effort to ground herself.

"Elena? Are you alright?" he asked as he slipped his phone back into his jacket.

"I think I'd better go home now." She needed her bed now. As much as she wanted to get the plans for the school ironed out, she'd reached her limit for the day. Something Cami said about her energy and emotional resources being spoons and sometimes running out of spoons and needing to focus on herself when that happened ran through her mind.

"Don't worry about anything. I'll contact the necessary people to get things started," Elijah said as he led the way to the car.

Elena settled back into the seat, staring out the window, unseeing. As they drove down the lane, she drew several deep breaths, attempting to calm herself. She wanted to build this school, so having this reaction, it felt like a let down to herself, that she'd failed somehow.

"Elena, are you alright?" Elijah asked softly.

"I just need to lie down for a while."

"What you're doing, wanting to put this school together, it's a good thing, you know. And coming out here, it's proof you're healing."

She glanced at him, her mouth curling up just a little, but she couldn't hold the expression. It took too much out of her to. As if understanding what she was feeling, Elijah squeezed her fingers gently and they fell silent for the rest of the drive home.

Elijah's phone buzzed, but Elena couldn't focus enough to know if it was even a phone conversation, or simply a text exchange.

"Breathe, Elena. We're almost there."

Elijah brought the car to a stop and came around to her door.

"Let's get you to bed."

Elena nodded once and he helped her out of the car, guiding her towards her room. Someone tried to stop them on the way and talk to Elijah, but he cut the person off with a wave of his hand.

"Not now. Let me get Elena to her room first." She stumbled and Elijah scooped her into his arms "Easy, sweetheart, I've got you."

Elijah set her on the bed, then slid her shoes off her feet and pulled the blankets over her body.

"I love you." He kissed her temple and brushed her hair off her forehead.

"Love you too." Elena burrowed under the covers and closed her eyes. "Sorry I had to cut our outing short."

"Don't apologize. You'll be able to stay out as long as you want before you know it. The first time is always the most difficult. The more you do it, the easier it gets."

Elijah closed the door softly behind him, leaving Elena to rest from her excursion.

"Joshua," he finally acknowledged the young vampire waiting for him in the hall.

"So we did a full sweep of the city and the wolves searched the bayou. No Triad or Strix to be found."

"Very good." Elijah pursed his lips, thinking things over for a moment. "Tell the other nightwalkers that I said they can take it easy tonight. You've all done so much recently, you deserve some time to yourselves. Keep a few on patrol at all times, of course, but other than that, the night is yours."

"So it's all over?" Josh's face lit up.

"For the most part, it seems that the current threats have been dealt with."

"What did they want? I mean, the Strix thing was easy to figure out, but the Triad? Why'd they come around?"

"From Freya's latest messages, they wanted Astrid and Hope. But we managed to head them off before they could get to them."

"Why them?"

"Hope and Astrid are the only ones of their kind, fathered by Original vampires, and descended from one of the most powerful witches I've ever encountered. Two beings with that much strength, and who have magic, that makes them perfect weapons, if the Triad were to raise them."

"Damn. Elena doesn't know?"

"She was struggling with a panic attack when I found that out, so I didn't get a chance to say anything. Once she's rested, I'll tell her what we know. But for now, just let her sleep." Elijah glanced down the hall towards the sound of Elena's and Astrid's heartbeats.

"You got it." Josh nodded once and flashed away.

As Elijah descended the stairs, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Elijah. I assume you've been told about what Freya learned."

"Hello, to you too Finn and yes, I did." He wished he could make himself a strong drink after learning that there had been another organization after his child and he hadn't been aware of it until it was over, but as long as Elena carried his baby, he wouldn't touch the stuff.

"How is Elena handling it?"

"She wasn't in any condition to be informed when Freya told me. She had a panic attack and needed to lie down, but that's not why I called."

"So, what's going on?"

"I've got a proposal that involves the governor's mansion, but I wanted to clear it with you before we start anything. It's Elena's idea and she's so excited about it that she asked me to take her out there today to look things over."

"Elena left the house today?" Finn asked in surprise.

"She did. That's how important this is to her and I think it's a good plan, one you might even want to be a part of."

"I'm listening." Finn sounded curious now. It was rare that the two brothers' personal interests aligned enough for Elijah to bring Finn into whatever he was doing if it didn't directly involve family, so of course he'd want to know what was going on.


	37. Chapter 37

Elena hung in the shadows as Kol and Davina walked into the courtyard. Kol carried a sleeping boy with curly, black hair, who seemed to be right around Hope's age, while Davina held the hand of a dark skinned boy who was not much older. Kol also had two duffel bags hanging from one arm, all the boys' worldly possessions.

"This is Landon," Kol said, gesturing to the boy in his arms. "And Landon's friend, Raphael. He's a werewolf, and since he's an orphan in the foster care system, we got them both out of there."

"A wolf should be with his own kind." Hayley knelt down in front of the little wolf boy.

Raphael hid behind Davina, peeking around her.

"Hello." Hayley smiled.

Raphael grinned bashfully.

"Don't be afraid. You're among friends now."

"Your vision for the school," Finn murmured. "It looks like it's is being proven even more needed than we knew."

Elena glanced up, surprised. She hadn't realized he'd moved anywhere near her.

"No one should have to feel unwanted or suffer for being a part of the supernatural. Even if their biological families reject them, they need to know that there's nothing wrong with not being human and that there are people out there who love them."

Elijah wrapped his arms around her, cradling her belly with his hands, and Elena melted into his embrace.

With a fond smile at the sight of the two of them, Finn inclined his head and left them be.

"How are you feeling?" Elijah rubbed one hand along her side.

"All these changes she's making me go through make my skin feel tight sometimes and I'm getting to the point where I just want to meet her already."

"You look stunning," he breathed against her ear.

Elena snorted delicately and continued, "I know she's going to be the only baby I have, but pregnancy isn't my friend right now. Everything's changing so much." Her entire body was different now, including her breasts, growing to the point where Keelin was certain she'd be able to breastfeed Astrid at least a few times.

"No!" Raphael screamed and Landon started to cry.

Elena jumped and looked over at the children to see Raphael reaching for Landon, and struggled to get out of Hayley's arms.

"They seem close," Jack said.

"Raphael can stay with us until he gets more comfortable and understands that we're not separating him from Landon for good," Freya offered.

"We'll visit him and let him get to know us until he's ready to live with us," Jack agreed.

"Poor kids," Elena murmured. "Growing up in foster care, getting thrown from place to place, this probably seems like just another move."

"Come on, let's get them inside. I'm sure they're ready for a bath, dinner, and bed." Freya gestured towards the door.

Raphael looked up at Hayley, his dark eyes wide with worry.

"We're not going to take you away from your friend. Even when you come home with us, you'll never be far from him," Hayley promised as Jack swung him up into his arms. "And when you start school, you'll be together all the time.

Raphael stared up at Jack, a spark of hope in his sad eyes. When he saw that he was going the same direction Landon was, he relaxed a little bit.

"You wanna stay with Landon?" Jack asked.

"Wanon?" Raphael lisped.

"Yeah, buddy. You can stay with him, until you're ready to come home to the pack, and then, you'll be able to see him whenever we visit each other."

"So, do we know what Landon is exactly?" Freya raised an eyebrow in Davina's direction.

"No. I did a spell and he does have some sort of magical something or other in his blood. We'll have to do a more in depth analysis to figure out what exactly, but it's not anything I've encountered before," Davina replied.

"We'll figure it out," Freya said.

"Come on, let's get these boys into a bath, so they can eat and go to bed. They've had a long day." Kol led the way up the stairs.

"Are you sure you're not psychic?" Elijah grinned.

"What do you mean?"

"You came up with the idea for a school right when we needed it."

Elena leaned her head against his shoulder and wrapped one arm around his waist.

"Astrid already has classmates and she's not even born yet." Elijah's brow furrowed as he examined her face. "You need to feed."

Elena's hand went to her throat as the thirst suddenly registered and a vein beneath her eye twitched.

"Come on. The boys are in good hands."

Elena followed Elijah up to her room. When they reached her room, he closed the door behind her, then shed his jacket and situated himself against the headboard. He held out his hand and smiled at her in invitation.

Biting her lip, Elena joined him on the bed. Since admitting that they had feelings for each other, feeding from him, this taking something of him inside of her while experiencing pleasure, it felt so much more intimate than it had before.

She took his hand in hers and lifted his wrist to her mouth. As her fangs sank into his skin, Elijah moaned and wrapped his arm more securely around her.

"Elena," he sighed. "One day, after Astrid is born, I'm going to show you how it feels to be fed from, how exquisite it is."

Elena sank her fangs into his arm more deeply in response and he gasped, burying his face against her neck as he pressed himself closer to her. She was drawing this reaction from him and she alone knew what it was like to feed from him.

"So beautiful," he whispered as his powerful body shifted behind her, and he trailed open mouthed kisses down her throat.

The pleasure coursing through her body intensified as his own reaction flowed into her with his blood and she gripped his arm more tightly.

"I crave you," he exhaled harshly against her temple, his hand flexing against her side.

He'd never been so out of control before when she fed from him and it excited her as a tendril of something coiled low in her, beneath where her baby lay inside her. She wanted this from him, wanted more, but not yet.

"I want to taste your blood, Elena." Elijah bit back a groan. "One day, I will."

Elena felt her own body responding to him, her blood singing with want as it pulsed through her core. Was it her reacting to him or him reacting to her? Where did he end and she begin? Like this, they were one, together, responding to each other.

Finally, Elena withdrew her fangs and kissed the blood trails that had escaped to clean them away. Lifting her head, she studied Elijah's face.

Was this a prelude to making love? A pleasure making her ache down to her bones, filling her with need? She wasn't ready to go that far, not yet, but if this was how it felt to allow him into her body like that, she found herself becoming more curious about exploring a sexual relationship with him.

Elijah cradled her cheek, then pressed his lips softly against hers once, twice, three times. Pulling back, he looked her in the eye.

"Wow," Elena whispered.

"Indeed." Elijah brushed her hair off her forehead.

"It's almost terrifying, how intense it is."

"What makes it not so frightening?"

"Because it's you and I know you won't push me into something I'm not ready for."

"Your faith and trust in me is humbling." He gently drew her against him, tucking her head under his chin. "It's an incredible gift, and I pray I continue to be worthy of it."

Elena pressed her lips to the hollow of his throat in response, and tucked in closer to him.

"I love you, Elena."

Astrid chose that moment to kick hard and Elena hissed. The baby continued to move, hitting as hard as she could.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just Astrid running out of room and making her displeasure known." Elena attempted to shift into another position, but that didn't make things any better.

"Be kind to your mother, Astrid," Elijah rubbed her belly gently and Astrid calmed, her movements softening, almost as if she could understand him.

"I wonder if we woke her up."

Elijah chuckled, his breath stirring Elena's hair.

"Will you promise me something?" Elijah asked after a long moment.

He moved them both so that they were facing each other and Elena's breath caught at the vulnerability in his dark eyes.

"Will you promise to tell me if your feelings change after Astrid's birth?" His brows furrowed and he swallowed thickly. "Let me down gently."

"You really are worried that I feel the way I do because of your blood?"

Elijah didn't say anything, but Elena saw the acknowledgment in his eyes.

"If it was just your blood making me feel like this for you, I'd have fallen for you the first time I fed from you."

"I've seen the effects of sire bonds and the like and it would be devastating if something similar happened with us."

"Sire bond?"

"The bond that can sometimes form between a vampire or hybrid and someone they turn. It means the newly turned vampire or hybrid will always do what their sire wants, unless the sire sets them free."

"You didn't turn me though and your blood affects my body, not my feelings for you." Elena cupped his cheek. "I fell in love with you over the course of months. So believe me when I say, I love you."

Elijah caught her hand and kissed her inner wrist softly.

"I love you, Elijah."

"Just promise me you'll tell me if things change."

"I promise." Shifting herself awkwardly around her belly, Elena kissed him lightly on the lips, then framed his face with her hand once more. "Not needing to drink your blood anymore won't change how I feel for you, I promise you that too."

"I love you." He exhaled shakily and kissed her gently.

In this position, she could feel his entire body, including an unfamiliar hardness in his trousers. In a moment of shock, Elena realized he was aroused and she gulped. It shouldn't have been a surprise considering her own reaction and the way he'd responded. But there was something else, not just that. He wasn't exactly a small man, so it made sense that this part of him would measure up to the rest of him. Would it hurt when she finally took him inside her body?

"Shhh." Elijah shifted so that she could no longer feel him that way. "Breathe, Elena. I won't hurt you, I swear it."

"I guess I'm really not ready for that."

"Just being with you like this is enough."

Elena settled beside him, her head on his chest.

"I need to clean up." Elena sat up and shifted to the edge of the bed. There was a wetness between her legs that was becoming uncomfortable, a reminder of what her body wanted from him.

"Of course." He gave her an understanding smile, as if knowing what she needed.

In the bathroom, Elena breathed air free of Elijah's scent and this cloud that had taken over her mind finally lifted. She wanted him, but she wasn't ready for more than kissing and touching. Feeding from him proved far too much for her to try to go any further.

Once she could think without aching for Elijah, she rejoined him on the bed, tucking herself against his side. Elijah wrapped his arm around her, his touch encouraging intimacy, but allowing things to remain innocent in comparison to their earlier actions.

"What will happen with the school plans?" Elena asked, desperate for a topic that wouldn't lead to her acting in a way she might regret later, as much as she might want it now "Will things be moving forward now?"

"Finn asked to be the one to deal with the contractors and everything. He's always hated what we are, so being able to do this makes him feel like he has a greater purpose, like it's because he is what he is that he can give back in this way."


	38. Chapter 38

Elena's mouth tightened when she saw the blond wolf in the courtyard. Why Jack decided to bring him along, Elena wasn't sure, but there he was.

"Elena." He slid his hands into his pockets, and puffed out his chest a little.

"You're Oliver, aren't you?" Elena wrapped her arms more tightly around Astrid. His loud mouth very nearly cost her her daughter and her life. A cramp passed through her in response to the stress and her stomach felt tight for a moment.

"Yeah."

"You're the one who told everyone that the latest doppelganger was a vampire and pregnant and living in New Orleans, which brought all those people to town."

He deflated a little in the face of her anger.

"I heard you and Elijah became a thing," he responded petulantly.

"I don't see how my personal life is any of your business."

"You know he had a thing for Hayley."

"I know. I also know that he and Hayley didn't work out because she is a werewolf queen who needed to marry someone else to save her people and so because he wanted her to be happy, he left town, to look for me."

"So you're just gonna jump into bed with him?"

"Again, my personal life is none of your business."

"Oliver!" Jack snapped. "Who she gets involved with is none of our concern. As long as she's safe, she's not someone we need to worry about."

"You're just happy that Elijah's found someone else so you can have Hayley."

"If he's found someone else, I'm glad for him. And the mother of his kid seems like a pretty good woman to fall in love with." He shot Elena an apologetic look. "We're here to get to know Raphael, not to further traumatize someone who's been through enough."

"Oliver." Elijah strode into the courtyard and looked at the werewolf with one brow raised.

Another cramp tightened her stomach and she winced. She couldn't be in labor, could she? It was too early! She still had almost just over three weeks before Astrid was due!

"Remember that the only reason you're not dead for what you did to Elena is because Hayley pleaded your case to Finn and Freya. Were it up to me, I would have mount your head on a spike and put it in front of the house."

"What is it with you and pregnant girls?"

"I'm guessing you're the one speaking loudly enough for Elena to hear about your misguided opinions of me, though why you would do that is beyond me."

"So, what, you're denying that you have a thing for girls like that? Pregnant girls in need of your family's help?"

"I have a thing, to use your own inelegant turn of phrase, for women with more strength than they knew, willing to face impossible odds for the people they love. And Elena's pregnancy has no bearing on my feelings for her, so keep your disgusting opinions to yourself. They're unwelcome here."

""She deserves better than to be someone's second pick because they couldn't get the girl they wanted."

"You're right, she does deserve better than that. So how fortunate that I didn't fall in love with Elena until after I'd gotten to know her better."

"You honestly expect me to believe that you're not convincing yourself you have feelings for her because she's the girl you can get, but not the girl you want?"

"Kindly remember that if it weren't for me, your entire pack would have been wiped out and I will not tolerate such nonsense from you."

"Oliver." Jack's voice was barely above a snarl. "Your obsession with Elena has gone on long enough."

"Jack!" Oliver protested.

"Oliver, enough." Hayley strode into the courtyard and crossed her arms. Her eyes flashed yellow as she continued.. "Return to the bayou, now. We'll discuss this later."

Oliver shot Elijah a dark look over his shoulder as he left the compound.

Elena braced herself against the banister as another cramp twisted her insides. Before she could deny that it was anything more than the stress of the situation, a gush of liquid down her legs told her it was happening. Astrid was on her way.

"Elijah!" Elena screamed.

"What's wrong?" A second later, he was at her elbow.

"My water just broke."

"Rebekah! Call Freya and Keelin! Elena's in labor!"

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Hayley asked.

"Keep Landon and Raphael away. They don't need to hear her screaming."

"Right. Okay."

With that, Elijah scooped her into his arms and flashed her to her bedroom.

"Okay, that hurt." Elena hissed through a stronger cramp.

Rebekah rapped on the door twice and Elijah opened it.

"Freya and Keelin are on their way. Elena, may I come in?"

"Yeah. Come in." She grit her teeth around another wave of pain.

"Breathe, Elena." Rebekah came around the bed. "Elijah, get some towels and Keelin's emergency medical kit."

"I'll be right back." Elijah kissed the top of her head, then flashed away.

"Come on, let's get you out of those clothes." Rebekah helped Elena strip out of her soiled bottoms and pulled her top off. "Here."

Elena took the loose fitting gown from Rebekah and the older vampire assisted in dressing her.

"They're coming pretty close together," Rebekah commented when Elena winced. "How long have you been having contractions?"

"I don't know. I didn't think anything about it until right before my water broke."

Elijah returned with the items Rebekah requested.

"Help me pull these blankets down," Rebekah directed.

Elijah gripped the covers on the other side and they stripped the bed.

"Now, put some towels down before we put her onto the bed."

Once she was situated back on the bed, Rebekah pulled on a pair of gloves and Elena looked from Elijah to Rebekah, terrified.

"Elena, I need to check to see how dilated you are."

"Check me. Like put your hand inside me?"

"Yes."

The thought of having a woman touching her like that brought Davenport sharply into focus. Elena hadn't thought about the _good doctor_ in weeks, so it shocked her that the woman crossed her mind. Elena closed her eyes and fought back the need to hide. Rebekah didn't want to hurt her. She wanted Astrid to make it through delivery and make sure things were progressing in a way that meant Elena and Astrid were fine.

"It's alright, Elena." Elijah brought her hand to his lips.

Looking up at Elijah, Elena whispered, "Okay."

"I'm just checking to see how much time I think we might have until you need to push."

"I know. I know."

"Breathe, Elena." Elijah caught her hand and held it to his chest.

Elena hardly felt Rebekah prodding between her legs due to the next contraction.

"How much time do we have?" Freya entered the room, with Keelin on her heels.

"Not long. Once her water broke, the contractions started coming pretty close together and she's already dilated to just over three fingers, almost four now."

"Alright. Looks like our niece is eager to make her appearance and your body is not fighting the idea."

The next contraction came even stronger than before.

"Oh, wow, this hurts." Elena gasped as she lay back against the pillow. All the pain in the lab didn't prepare her for this.

"You've been in labor for hours if you're this far along, so the lab probably allowed you to ignore that you were in any form of discomfort."

"I thought it was too soon," Elena admitted. "I thought I still had a few weeks."

"A human baby, maybe, but she's not human, so the rules don't apply to her."

Several contractions later, Freya said, "Push, Elena. Come on, push."

Elena screamed as she followed Freya's directions.

"That's it, Elena, I see her head. She's coming fast."

Elena's grip Elijah's hand became so tight that she broke bones.

"Almost there. Just a little bit more. Push!"

With one last great push, a sense of relief washed over her and a moment later, a newborn cry broke the silence.

"Give her to me." Elena reached out her hands. "Please. I need to hold her."

"Let's deal with the afterbirth first." Freya placed her hand on Elena's already healing lower belly, and a moment later, the placenta slipped free.

"Okay, here we go." Keelin placed the blood covered, screaming baby on Elena's chest.

Immediately, Astrid stopped crying, nuzzling against Elena's chest. A soft whimper escaped her rosebud mouth as she curled up.

"Hey, you." Tears filled Elena's eyes as she explored her daughter's face. "You're here. I can't believe you're actually here."

Astrid burrowed deeper into Elena's top in response to her voice.

"Come on, let's get you both cleaned up." Rebekah scooped Astrid up and instantly, the baby started to cry.

"You'll get her back. We just need to get you cleaned up first." Keelin placed her hand on Elena's arm and she realized she nearly jumped off the bed.

After they got the bed cleaned up and Elena changed into a new nightgown, Rebekah placed the squirming baby in Elena's arms. Once Astrid was against her mother's chest once more, she quieted again.

"She recognizes your heartbeat," Freya said, a soft smile on her face and with that, the ladies left the new parents then, to get to know their baby.

"She's so tiny," Elijah whispered, cupping the back of her head.

Elena picked up one of her hands and brought it to her face, pressing a kiss to it.

"All ten fingers," Elijah murmured. He picked up one foot, then the other.

"And all ten toes."

"She's perfect. So perfect."

"Would you like to hold her?" Elena asked.

Carefully, Elijah scooped her up, cradling her tenderly. He explored her face, his breathing uneven and a tear trickled down his cheek.

"My daughter." He brushed the wispy baby hairs back. "She has your mouth."

"She has your jawline and nose. They're already so prominent." Elena reached up and brushed her fingers along Astrid's nose.

"The best of both of us in one perfect, little bundle."

"I wonder if she'll have blue eyes or brown. My father has blue eyes and you have siblings with blue eyes, but we both have brown."

"I suppose we'll find out in a few days at least."

Astrid started to stir, nuzzling against Elijah's chest and whimpering.

"I think she's hungry."

Elijah passed the baby back to Elena and helped adjust her so that Astrid was level with her nipple. Elena guided Astrid's mouth to it with shaky hands. Thankfully, Astrid latched on and started to suck.

A lump formed in Elena's throat at the sight of her baby taking nourishment from her and she glanced at Elijah, to see a similar expression of wonder on his face.

"All that trouble, making me feed only from you, and now she's nursing." Elena traced Astrid's cheek with one finger. "Freya doesn't know if I'll be able to nurse her for more than this first time though."

"What do you mean?"

"My body produced colostrum because I was pregnant. But as you can see, I'm already healed, so now as I'm returning to normal for a vampire. Once she takes everything my body made during my pregnancy, I might not produce anything else. So this time and maybe one more, if she only feeds from this one breast."

"Hence the formula I saw Rebekah with earlier."

"At least I get this."

A few moments later, Astrid suckled the breast in her mouth dry and she pulled a few more times before releasing. Her breathing changed and she drifted into sleep.

"I suppose now, we'll know for sure whether or not I can continue nursing her."

"What do you want?"

"I want what's best for her." Elena adjusted her top to cover her breast once more. "Yes, I would like to be able to continue nursing her, but if I can't, then we will use formula and whatever else she needs."

Elijah slid into the bed beside her and wrapped his arm around her, then pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I love you," he murmured against her hair.

"Love you too." Elena glanced at him, but returned her gaze to the tiny form in her arms.

This was what she'd endured hell for, for this moment, right here, to hold her little girl in her arms. She laid her head against Elijah's chest. Life wasn't perfect, but once in a while, it had its moments and this was one of them.


	39. Chapter 39

Elena frowned as she swallowed the last of the blood in her glass. While it was satisfying, it didn't bring the pleasure that drinking Elijah's blood had. Oh, well. At least she didn't throw everything up anymore.

"You're drinking regular blood," Rebekah said. She was very visibly pregnant now and glowing.

"Yeah." Elena nodded once and rinsed the glass out in the sink. "And I'm not able to breast feed anymore. I'm a 100% normal vampire once more."

"At least you got the first two times."

"And Elijah likes being able to give her her bottle." Elena glanced upward towards the sounds of Elijah preparing to feed Astrid and smiled softly. "He's a good father."

"You really are in love with my brother, aren't you?"

"Yes. I am."

"Have you told him since you gave birth?"

Elena blinked, surprised as she thought back over the last thirty-six hours, then admitted, "No."

"Tell him. Before he thinks that it was just his blood that made you feel that way about him."

With one last glance at Rebekah, Elena darted up the stairs to find the father of her baby, the man she loved.

Elena leaned against the doorway, watching Elijah as he cradled their baby in his arms with a bottle in his hand.

"She has your eyes," Elena commented.

That she does." Elijah looked up at Elena and smiled.

Astrid released the bottle nipple and yawned. Elijah set the bottle on the side table and shifted her in his arms so that he could stand up. Carefully supporting her head, he placed her into the crib and covered her with a blanket.

"So, that new diet, it's alright, but it's not your blood."

Elijah paused, turning to face her, and all emotion bled from his face, as if bracing himself for a blow.

"And I feel exactly the same way about you that I did before Astrid was born." Elena glanced down, then looked up at Elijah from under her lashes as she approached him. Placing her hand on his arm, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I love you, Elijah. I'm in love with you."

Their eyes met and slowly, he lowered his head towards hers. Cradling her cheek, he kissed her softly. Fire bloomed beneath her skin and she dug her fingers into his hair, dragging him closer as all the lust she'd been suppressing during her pregnancy surged to the surface. Elijah groaned low in his throat and pressed a series of soft kisses to her lips.

Pulling back a little, he murmured, "I love you." A wide smile crossed his face and he laughed. "I love you."

"I love you." Elena stood on tiptoe and kissed him again.

Elijah wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek against her hair, sliding his thumb along the exposed skin between her jeans and tank top, then slid one hand lower to cup her bottom. Lowering his head again, he caught her lips in another kiss.

"Can we go somewhere a bit more private?" Elena glanced at the crib where their daughter lay.

She wanted more, so much more, but she wasn't going to give in to her need for him in the same room where their baby slept.

Elijah studied her face for a long moment, searching, then nodded, and led Elena to her bedroom.

"Are you sure about this?" he whispered, his expression intense and vulnerable.

"Positive."

Closing the door behind then, he brushed the fingers of both hands along her face.

"Elena," he breathed before caressing her lips with his.

The tip of his tongue brushed along the seam of her mouth and Elena parted her lips, allowing him to deepen the kiss. With a soft moan, he caught her thighs and helped her wrap her legs around his waist.

"We'll stop if you need to."

"I trust you." Elena brought her mouth back to his and shoved his jacket down his arms.

Elijah walked over to the bed and set her down on it. Once she was safely on the bed, Elena reached up and tugged on his tie, the material shredding in her hands.

"Eager, aren't we?" he chuckled as he untucked and unbuttoned his shirt.

Elena helped him shed his shirt, then stared at him, at the skin he revealed. He was a beautiful man with the body any Viking warrior would have been proud to possess.

"Like what you see?" Elijah grinned.

In response, Elena ripped her shirt over her head and pressed herself against him as she kissed him. As he kissed her, Elijah toed off his shoes and pushed her back so that her head was against a pillow as he joined her on the bed. Reaching around her, he unhooked her bra, sliding it off her slowly.

Elena gasped when her breasts met his bare chest and drew back, meeting Elijah's eyes. Keeping her gaze, he trailed his fingers up her side and circled his thumb slowly around one nipple before pinching it. Elena whimpered at the jolt it sent straight to her core.

"Do you want to stop?" His brows furrowed and his muscles tensed as if preparing to climb out of the bed.

"Don't stop." It was Elijah touching her like this, making her feel similar to how she felt when she drank his blood, so why would she be afraid?

As if to prove her point, Elena caught his hand and placed it on her breast and Elijah twisted her nipple, a smirk forming on his lips when she arched just a little. He braced himself on his elbow and traced his fingertips down her belly, pausing at the waistband of her jeans.

"May I?" he whispered, tugging lightly at the button.

Chewing on her lower lip, she nodded.

He kept his eyes on hers as he slowly unbuttoned the garment and slid his hand beneath her panties, cupping her. Elena drew a sharp breath when one of his long fingers penetrated her.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"Don't stop."

With his gaze still firmly on her face, Elijah dipped his finger more deeply inside her, then dragged the slick digit up to circle her clit and Elena bucked once, shocked at the jolt of pleasure.

Elijah grinned in response to her reaction and continued to stroke her, dipping his fingers inside her, brushing something deep inside her, then bringing them back up to play with her clit. As the pleasure coiled in her lower belly, Elena threw her head back and rocked harder against Elijah's hand.

His mouth found her neck, sucking on her throat as her movements became stronger. Trailing his lips down her throat, he caught one of her nipples between his teeth and tugged lightly before drawing it into his mouth.

"Let go, Elena. I've got you. Let go. Let yourself feel."

She whimpered as the coil within her tightened in response to his words and her toes curled.

"Yes, Elena." He groaned into her neck as he thrust his fingers faster. "That's it, sweetheart, take your pleasure."

He kissed her, his tongue sliding into her mouth as he ground his erection against her thigh. After another moment, Elena threw her head back, her entire body shuddering, a whimper escaping from her clenched teeth.

"I can feel how close you are. Come for me."

Her back arched of the bed then, the coil snapping, and a wave of pleasure washed over her.

As the last of her orgasm faded from her, Elena blinked and met Elijah's eyes and didn't try to fight the dreamy smile on her face.

"Wow."

"Hmmm." Elijah brushed her hair of her forehead, his eyes dark with lust. "How do you feel?"

"That was... wow."

"That wasn't even an appetizer."

He kissed her so sweetly then that Elena melted all over again and she pressed herself against him. As Elijah deepened the kiss, Elena slid her leg up his thigh, needing to be as close to him as possible.

"I want more," Elena whispered and pressed her lips to his shoulder, tasting his skin.

"As my lady wishes."

Elijah got to his knees, so that he was positioned between her legs, and slid Elena's pants off in one smooth motion, leaving her in only her panties. As he examined her nearly nude form with lust filled eyes, he licked his lower lip and ran his hands along her calves.

"You're wearing more clothes than I am."

Looking her in the eye, Elijah smirked and unbuttoned his own pants and shucked them off, leaving him in his boxer briefs. The material did nothing to hide his arousal and a thrill passed down Elena's spine.

Elijah leaned down and pressed an open mouthed kiss to her belly as he hooked his thumbs under her panties. While kissing a path down her stomach, he pulled off the last scrap of material covering her. He met her eyes once more and pressed his mouth to her clit, then flicked his tongue against her.

"Elijah," Elena gasped.

"Elena." His breath against her sent her trembling.

With that, he closed his lips around her and she cried out as he suckled on her clit. Elena bucked against him, her entire body shaking when he slid two fingers inside her, curling them. She arched, not sure if she wanted him closer or was trying to push him away, as the pleasure climbed much faster than it had under just his fingers alone.

Elena found herself mesmerized with the sight of Elijah's dark head between her legs and it excited her almost as much as the feeling of his tongue tracing patterns against her clit. He looked at her from under his lashes and groaned against her, the vibrations against so many nerve endings sending her keening. Using his free hand, he reached up and pinched her nipple, then cupped her breast and she dug her fingers into his hair, as if to secure him to her.

Right before that coil snapped, Elijah pulled away only to sink his fangs into her femoral artery, his fingers taking the place of where his mouth had been moments before. If feeding from Elijah had been pleasurable, being fed on while her clit was being manipulated was beyond anything she'd ever thought possible and Elena screamed as her orgasm overcame her.

Elijah kissed his way up her stomach, to the valley between her breasts, and then finally her lips, and she could taste herself on his tongue, musky with an oddly spicy edge.

"I want you, desperately." Elijah groaned. "Elena. I want you."

Elena kissed him in response and reached down, to shove at his boxers. Taking the hint, Elijah shed his last article of clothing, his erection springing free, then braced himself on his elbows above Elena.

"Elijah." Elena reached up and traced his lips with her fingertip.

He caught her finger lightly with his lips, sucking on it lightly, then hooked her leg higher around his waist.

"Look at me," he whispered.

Elena did as he requested and she felt him penetrate her slowly, oh so slowly. Elena drew a shaky breath as he filled the aching emptiness inside her and she arched against him.

"Damn." He grit his teeth. "Elena."

Withdrawing almost completely, he thrust again, drawing a moan from Elena. Elijah kissed her hard and set a hard rhythm, shifting the angle of his thrusts to stroke against that place inside. Elena met his gaze, surprised by the tenderness she found there and the pleasure coiled once more.

"Elijah!"

Elena threw her head back, and Elijah took advantage of her exposed neck to sink his fangs into her throat. Elena screamed in response, pleasure zinging down her spine, and dug her nails into his back, ripping into his broad shoulders..

"Yes, sweetheart, give yourself to me," he groaned, linking their fingers and grinding against her for a few thrusts, before resuming his former rhythm.

For a long moment, there was nothing except the two of them moving together, until the wave crested and she was lost once more, her vision whiting out. Somewhere, she was aware of Elijah moaning and then spilling inside her.

When they caught their breath, Elijah withdrew from her and rolled onto his side, taking her with him. He cupped her cheek, tracing his thumb beneath one eye, his expression tender.

"I love you," he murmured.

Leaning close, he kissed her again and that was all it took for the fire to ignite beneath her skin once more and she hooked her leg around his hip and flipped them so she straddled him.

"Greedy girl," Elijah teased with a smile.

"You started it." Elena braced herself with her hand on his stomach.

"So I did." He smirked. "Now finish it."


	40. Chapter 40

Elena fought waking up, not wanting to leave her dreams, until she realized that the fingers tracing patterns on her back was very real and memories of what happened the night before flooded her mind. She'd slept with Elijah, let him inside her body and bring her pleasure over and over again.

"Good morning," Elijah murmured, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

"Morning." Elena rolled over to face him.

"How are you?" Elijah caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her wrist.

"Never better." Elena cupped his cheek, then moved to climb out of bed.

"What's wrong?"

"I need to take care of Astrid."

"She woke up about an hour ago. Freya and Keelin have her now and Freya demanded having time with her niece."

"I suppose that means I can stay in bed a _little_ longer." Elena lay back down and rested her head on Elijah's shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair.

"What are you thinking?" Elena ran her hand down his torso gently.

"That last night should have been how Astrid came into being, a time of mutual pleasure, between two people who love each other, creating a child as a result."

Elena propped herself up on her elbow, combing her fingers into his hair as she examined his face.

"No regrets, Elijah. How Astrid came into this world ended up saving me. If it hadn't been for her, I'd still be locked up, enduring who knows what. So don't regret it."

"As my lady wishes." He smiled up at her.

"I know it might be different for you," Elena swallowed and looked away for a moment, "since you've been with others, but last night was perfect for me and I don't want sadness attached to it."

"Elena. Last night, I made love to the mother of my child. That made it so much more than anything I've ever experienced before."

"You mean that?" Elena bit her lip and a bashful smile crossed her face.

"Yes."

Elijah rolled them so that they were facing each other, then opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by Astrid crying. Freya's voice drifted up to them as she calmed her and Astrid's crying faded into whimpering, then went silent.

"I think we may as well get up now. Astrid's not going to be able to be placated for much longer." Elena climbed out of bed.

"Mind if I join you in the shower?"

"We do have to conserve water, don't we?" Elena grinned as she opened the bathroom door.

"I'm not sure how much water you think we'll be conserving." Elijah flashed over to her and guided her back towards the shower, a wolfish smile on his face.

"Why, Mr. Mikaelson, how scandalous you are." Elena feigned shock.

"I would have thought last night would have given you a small taste of just how scandalous I can be, Miss Gilbert." He tapped the end of her nose, then stepped around her to turn the water on.

Elena ran her hands down his broad back and pressed a kiss to his spine.

Slowly, he turned to face her. Catching her wrist, he pulled her against him and lowered his mouth to hers. Their lips moved together slowly, tenderly until steam rose from the water flowing from the shower head and he led her under the spray.

As the water poured over their bodies, Elijah caught her by her thighs and lifted her up, his mouth never leaving hers. Elena wrapped her legs around his waist, eager for their bodies to join, and dug her nails into his back.

"No patience," Elijah groaned as he complied with the demands her rocking hips were making of him and sank into her.

"Elijah," Elena whimpered as he withdrew partway, then thrust into her again.

He kissed her softly then, in sharp contrast with the way he pounded into her, his lips t4railing down to her throat, suckling on a spot behind her ear.

"You fit me so perfectly," he whispered against her neck. "Like you were made for me.

Elena pressed her lips to his shoulder, the taste of his skin mingling with the warm water, and she caught a few droplets on her tongue. Elijah dug his fingers into the hair on the back of her head and angled her so that he could kiss her again.

"I love you," he breathed against her cheek. "I love you."

"Love you, Elijah."

Elijah changed the angle of his thrusts and Elena threw her head back, screaming something that may have been Elijah's name.

"Yes, Elena. So good," he panted.

Hearing and feeling him losing control heightened her own pleasure, and Elena's orgasm tore through her, Elijah following not long after her with a moan.

He pressed a series of soft kisses to her lips and helped her regain her feet.

"So beautiful." Elijah brushed her wet hair off her forehead and kissed her as he withdrew from her body.

Elena laid her head against his shoulder and inhaled his scent. Each time their bodies joined, she craved him that much more, more than she'd ever craved his blood and she knew she'd never get enough of him.

"We might wanna start actually getting clean," Elena mumbled softly as Astrid grumbled from downstairs.

"The warm water won't last forever, will it?" Elijah chuckled and grabbed the shampoo bottle, pouring a small amount into his palm. "Turn around."

Their hair was still damp when they made their way to Astrid. As soon as she saw her mother, she whined grumpily and reached her arms out.

"Hey, sweet girl." Elena cradled Astrid against her chest. "Did you miss me?"

Astrid looked at Elena, her dark eyes so serious for such a new baby.

"I'm here now." Elena kissed her forehead and ran her fingertips along her daughter's cheek.

"I swear she's looking more and more like you every day." Elijah sat on his heels and caught one of Astrid's tiny hands with his.

Astrid turned her head at the sound of her father's voice and wrapped her fingers around one of his and held on, staring at him.

"Jeremy was here earlier," Freya commented.

"Did he say what he wanted?"

"No. He just wanted to talk to you. But it seemed serious."

"Okay. I'll text him and find out." Elena shifted Astrid so that she could reach her phone in her pocket.

 _What's up?_ She asked.

 _I need to talk to you in person._

 _When and where?_

 _I'll be by in about half an hour._

 _See you then._

"I guess he wants to talk face to face," Elena said as she put her phone away. "He said he'd be here in a bit."

"Do you have any idea what it's about?"

"I think it may be about him turning. He and Anna have been making hints to it more and more the last few weeks. I don't know for sure though."

"You're getting to keep a lot of your family and friends." Keelin entered the room with a bottle of formula.

"It seems so."

Elena took the bottle Keelin offered and popped the bottle nipple into Astrid's mouth. The baby grabbed it with both hands and started to suck.

"How do you feel about that? Him becoming a vampire?" Elijah asked.

"If it's what he wants, I'll support him. I just want him to be happy."

"Happy enough that your friend, Caroline, seems to be getting along rather splendidly with Niklaus?"

"Why would that bother me?"

"He is the Original Hybrid with a reputation for violence and cruelty."

"As long as he doesn't hurt her." Elena shrugged. Who was she to judge whether or not someone got involved with an Original?

"I think he's falling for her, fast." Elijah smirked. "He enjoys a challenge and she's providing him with one, though she enjoys his attentions and goes out of her way to see him. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say she feels much the same for him as he does for her."

"If he's who she wants, I'm glad they found each other."

"Niklaus doesn't open up the way he has with her, not even with Cami and she's the family therapist."

"She hasn't said a whole lot to me about it, but when she does talk about him, it's all over her face how she feels about him."

"Your friend is fearless and strong, exactly what Niklaus needs in a partner."

Elijah's phone buzzed and he pulled it out.

"What's going on?"

"It looks as though we've got a meeting with the Faction leaders starting in a few minutes," Elijah said, reading a text. "Apparently some of the humans don't like it that we're building a school for the supernatural and they're trying to get us to change our minds."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"By reminding them that they're in power at all because we let them. They answer to us and to try to deny this would be to go against all the supernatural factions, something they dare not risk."

Elena studied Astrid's now sleeping face and the realization of just how different her life was now overcame her. As a human, she'd planned to have an Olympic event under her belt and be training for her second by now. Instead, she was a vampire and a mother and trying to get a school for other supernatural people up and running.

"What is it?"

"Nothing really. Just started missing skating something fierce."

"I can rent out an arena if you'd like to skate again."

"It won't be the same though, will it?"

"Was dancing the same for you after you turned?"

"No. I enjoyed it, but it felt different. I didn't have to push myself like I did before. It was so easy." Elena sighed, disappointed. "I haven't touched the ice in over three years and it used to be something I did every day and loved. Now, I'm afraid it will be too different."

"Just because it's not the same doesn't mean you can't still enjoy it though." Elijah cupped her cheek.

"I know. So could you rent out an arena one day for me?"

"Of course. And I'll make sure your dance studio is cleaned out too."

"I just feel silly, I guess."

"Why?"

"For missing things from when I was human when I've been given a life that's better."

"It's okay to miss things and there will be even more things you'll miss as time goes on and things change."

Elena tilted her head, looking up at him as she asked, "What do you miss?"

Elijah paused for a moment, thinking, before he said, "I miss fire being the only light source, people communicating through written letters, and music being actual music, rather than this noise people pass off as music now, among other things."

"Do you miss any people?"

"There are a few I wish I could have turned, but to turn them would have been to deprive the human world of their minds and they would have suffered for it."

"So loss is an every day thing for a vampire."

"I suppose it is and that's probably why so many of us let go of our human lives entirely, because those losses are blunted when we no longer care about that part of our pasts." Elijah brushed his knuckles against Astrid's cheek. "I'd better get going before Niklaus and Kol decide that the human element of the Faction is no longer necessary."

"Go, keep the peace in the city." Elena smiled up at her lover.

"I love you, sweetheart." Elijah pressed a kiss to Elena's temple then vanished in a soft gust of wind.

Elena laid Astrid into her crib and covered her up with a blanket. Astrid stretched, but remained asleep and Elena tiptoed to the door, closing it softly behind her.

Jeremy's voice calling her name from the courtyard caught her attention and she headed towards the sound.

"Hey, Elena." He slid his hands into his pockets and shifted on his feet.

"So, what'd you wanna talk about?" Elena asked, taking a seat and Jeremy sat down beside her.

"I um, so Anna and I are talking about setting a date for me to turn."

"Are you ready for it?"

"I thought I was. I guess I'm just nervous now."

"Why nervous?"

"Dying. What will I be like?"

"Dying's the easy part, though I bled out after a car crash and it hurt, but Anna won't let you die like that like that. With support though, who you'll be is just a more intense version of who you are now."

"With support?"

"It's taken me the entire time I've been here to become anything like I used to be, before I died." Elena snorted and shook her head. "Being locked up in a cage and starved isn't exactly the easiest way to begin this life."

"So I'll still feel like me?"

"Yeah, you'll still be you, just more so."

"Okay."

"You have other vampires you can talk to about this, those who had more typical beginnings than me, so why ask me?"

"Because you're my sister and I know you'll be honest."

"How does John feel about you wanting to turn?"

"He's not happy, but he's kept his mouth shut because he knows to speak out against me turning would be to speak out against you and he doesn't want to hurt you."

"I don't suppose it helps any that the Gilbert name ends with you. That an anti-vampire Founding Family dies with the last two members becoming vampires and one of those vampires has a child with another vampire."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Soon, he'll the last human in the family. His sister-in-law, his daughter, his nephew, all vampires. Even his granddaughter, born to vampires." Elena shifted so she could see him better. "When's the big day?"

"Two weeks from tomorrow. I need to get some things tied off in Mystic Falls."

Jeremy stood up and Elena followed him. Without saying a word, Elena wrapped her arms around him.

"You'll be there when I turn?"

"I'll be there when you die and stay until you wake up. I promise."

"Thanks, Elena."

"You're my brother, so no matter what, I'll be there for you, I swear."

"I've gotta get going. I've got a flight to catch." Jeremy let go and stepped back.

"Take care of yourself." Elena squeezed his arm softly.

Jeremy gave her a shaky smile, then headed out the gate.


	41. Chapter 41

"How's Jeremy doing?" Elena asked as she approached her aunt.

Elijah had proven true to his word and rented out the arena for Elena and they were here for Elena to get herself back on the ice.

"He's doing good. Just trying to get everything transferred down here."

"Good. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

"Anyway, I got this for you, right after you went missing," Jenna held out a royal blue skating costume.

Elena took the garment from her and held it up. It was the outfit Jenna had described on their last lunch together before she died.

"I just had to. I wanted you to have it when you came home. I didn't know what condition you'd be when we found you, but I saw it and thought of you."

"Thank you."

Jenna smiled then and left Elena to dress.

A few minutes later, Elena entered the ice and skated around the arena slowly. The chill of the air felt so familiar, yet so different against her skin. She was aware of the cold, but it no longer made her shiver, nor did she need to warm up to not be affected by it.

In the stands, several members of the supernatural factions watched her, curious to see The Cobra for themselves.

With her hair slicked back and wearing the proper attire, she felt more like who she used to be, before her life flipped itself upside down.

Music started playing from the speakers and Elena found herself sliding smoothly into a familiar routine, the last one she'd skated in front of an audience. Though the pull of her muscles felt familiar, she didn't feel the strain she used to as a human. It didn't take the strain it once did to make the once familiar movements, and the slice of her blades against the ice sounded so much richer, so much more than she'd ever imagined possible.

So no, it wasn't the same, but it still carried elements of familiarity that made the strangeness of it all more bearable.

"See, Astrid? That's your mother," Elijah's murmur caught her attention, but she didn't break stride. "She was famous because she was so good as a human."

The music reached a crescendo and Elena leaped into the air, landing a perfect triple Axel, then flowed into the final pose of the routine. As the final notes faded away, the gathered crowd clapped enthusiastically.

This part was exactly as she remembered, the people responding positively to the performance she'd given. But it no longer held the focus of her plans. She had so much more to live for now than putting on a show. It felt hollow in a way, this applause for something that did little to change people's lives for the better. Yeah, it might have helped one or two people she'd encountered or who watched her on TV, but in the end, she wasn't saving lives or doing anything to improve them.

A new piece of music started and Elena began skating again.

Skating gave her a voice as a human and it kept her sane during her confinement, though now, she grew out of it being the sole focus of her life. Becoming a mother and trying to make the world a better place for other supernatural people too precedence over everything that used to matter.

"I've missed this," Jenna said softly, "watching Elena skate. It was the only time she was real. Off the ice, she'd paint on a smile and all that, but if you wanted to know what she was thinking or feeling, you watched her when she skated."

"What do you mean?" Josh asked.

"Being a member of the Gilbert family came with certain expectations, so Elena rebelled in such a way that no one could find fault in."

"Rebelled? How is skating rebellion?"

"She dared to dream of more than what was in her small town and having plans beyond what everyone else wanted for her." Jenna paused for a moment. "She wanted to touch the world and help everyone she could. Now she is, just not the way she initially planned."

"I remember watching her interviews and how she'd talk about love and accepting people for who they are, rather than for who we want them to be," Josh said after a minute. "She was the reason I finally came out as gay."

"You're not the first person to say that." There was a smile in Jenna's voice.

"Yeah, I heard that the one her trainer took on recently was like that."

"Elena's always wanted to show people that they were loved and no matter what, they weren't alone. She may have been one hell of a competitor, but she'd put her own needs and feelings to the side if it meant helping someone else off the ice."

"So now, she's making a place for the supernatural who might not find that acceptance anywhere else."

"She found her niche, I think. Saving the children of the shadow world from knowing the sort of pain she's been through."

Elena spun on one skate, then glided into another maneuver.

It felt strange, hearing a conversation about herself like this, knowing what the people she loved thought about her. Did Jenna realize that Elena could hear her? Or did she think that Elena was too focused on her skating to listen to them?

"Was she really tortured by her father?"

"By her adoptive father, yes." Jenna's voice turned steely. "He helped organize search parties for her, begged for her return on national television, and all that time he knew exactly where she was and what was happening to her."

"That's messed up."

"He lied, to everyone, for three years, then when he died, he left her to the mercy of people even more depraved than he was." Jenna spat the words out. "If it wasn't for the Mikaelsons finding her, we wouldn't have ever known where she was. They would have continued torturing her, experimenting on her, and those who cared about her wouldn't have known where to find her and those who knew where she was would only see her as a lab rat."

So, Jenna and Josh had become friends during her time in New Orleans. Good, Jenna was widening her circle of vampire friends, not just hanging out with the impulsive Damon Salvatore. Not that he was a terrible friend to her or anything. She just needed other people to spend time with, rather than having to constantly be the voice of reason whenever she spent time with her friends.

It was just too bad that Elena was the topic of conversation they were bonding over.

"What do you think of her and Elijah?" Gia asked, a slightly jealous note in her voice.

Elena turned her head then to look at them, eyebrow raised. Her relationship with Elijah was not up for discussion, especially since the sexual aspect of it was so new.

"I think that's one topic Elena doesn't want us discussing." Jenna smiled apologetically.

"So it doesn't bother you?" Gia pressed.

"Elena's looking over here, so yeah, I think that's enough about that," Josh said.

Gia scowled mutinously and Elena wondered what that was about. She'd have to ask Elijah about that later.

After the last song played, Elena made her way to the locker room and changed her clothes, then packed her bag.

"So, what did you think?" Elijah asked as Elena made her way to his side. He rubbed Astrid's back as she slept on his shoulder.

"It was different. Still good, just different."

Elijah led the way to the car and placed Astrid into the car seat while Elena slid into the passenger seat.

Once Elijah was in the driver's seat, Elena asked, "What's up with Gia?"

"What about her?"

"Just the way she talks sometimes, it made me wonder."

"She made some advances, but I was already on my way out the door when she tried anything. If I hadn't made up my mind to leave, I may have taken her up on it, but I needed to go and not give myself time to rethink things."

"So why is she still sore about it?"

"I suppose it's because I never gave her a chance to try again and it wounded her pride."

"You never gave her a second chance, yet you bent over backwards for me."

"She was a musician who never made it past the local spots while you were a skater performing on the international stage before you died. Only a few people tried to figure out what happened to her when she turned, but the entire world wanted to know what happened to you when you disappeared."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Two artists, one who was talented, but never attracted much of an audience, and the other receiving attention from press around the world even now almost four years after disappearing, so it rubs the salt in a little deeper."

"So she's jealous."

"You had the recognition she sought in life and now, as a vampire, you have something she doesn't, yet again, a permanent place in the Mikaelson family. She's had to fight through the ranks to climb closer to getting a daylight ring, but I had a ring made for you as soon as you arrived."

"I didn't get these things for free though. I paid for what I got. Skating my ass off, through cracked bones and sprains, blistering up so badly that I bled, and then enduring hell before Astrid came along."

"Given time, she'll understand that. But right now, she's seeing things through wounded pride." Elijah caught her hand and kissed her knuckles. "You're stronger than most any vampire under a century can comprehend."

Elena leaned her head back and stared out the window for a long moment.

"What are you thinking?" Elijah asked gently.

"I think for the first time since I turned, today, I felt like the two halves of me finally came together. The human girl who saw the world, and performed before thousands, and the vampire I've become, they're no longer two separate lives. There's just me."

"You have had more life experience than most would think of considering you've only been alive for twenty years."

"Traveling the world meant I had to grow up fast." Elena chuckled once.

"People look at how old you are, rather than what you've done in those years, what you've experienced."

"Honestly, I think the only way I was really inexperienced was in the bedroom."

"But we're changing that now, aren't we?" Elijah smirked.

Elena bit her lip and glanced at Elijah.

"Keep looking at me like that and I'll tie you to the bed all night."

"Sounds like a dreadful prospect." Even as she spoke, she rubbed her thighs together, aching for him to do just that. "We need to put Astrid to bed first though.

His nostrils flared as he caught the scent of her arousal and he growled, "Oh, lovely Elena, the things I'm going to do to you."

Pulling into a parking spot, Elijah darted around the car and scooped their sleeping daughter into his arms and flashed up the stairs, Elena on his heels.

As soon as Astrid was safely in her crib, Elijah caught Elena and slung her over his shoulder, causing her to squeal in response.

"You asked for it," he said as he slapped her bottom.

The sting did nothing to lessen her arousal. If anything, the pain heightened her need and she moaned.

He closed the door behind them and tossed her onto the bed, then slowly pulled off his tie, examining the length of it, a gleam in his dark eyes. A slow smirk spread across his face and he caught her hands, pinning them above her head.

"If you need to stop, you just say so and we will."

"Don't stop." If he stopped, she'd find one of those silver daggers and shove it through his heart herself because never had she been so aroused.

"As my lady wishes." With deft fingers, he tied her to the headboard. "I do hope you're not overly fond of the clothes you're wearing."

"Why?"

Leaning over, he whispered into her ear, "Because of this."

He gripped her top in both his hands and pulled, the material giving way easily, and he tossed the scraps over his shoulder.

Elena strained against the tie, the fabric starting to tear and he caught both her hands in one of his.

"You tear this, I stop." He caught her lower lip between his teeth and tugged lightly. "And oh, darling, you're so wet, aren't you?"

"Yes," Elena admitted.

Elijah caught her pants and ripped them off, leaving her completely naked. Elena gripped the tie to try to fight the urge to touch him and strip him as well. But she fought the instinct and spread her legs wider in invitation.

"So eager, aren't we?" He kissed her clit lightly, applying just enough pressure to tease her.

"Please."

"Hmm." He pursed his lips, as if considering his options. "I suppose we do have a few hours until Astrid needs us and there's just so much we can do in that time."

He tweaked her nipple hard.

"Please, Elijah."

Elijah stripped slowly, folding each item carefully and placing them on the chair as he removed them.

"Tease," Elena moaned.

"Am I?" He caught her foot in his hand and kissed her ankle. "How can I be a tease? I wasn't even touching you."

He continued to kiss his way up her body before sinking into her slowly.

"Oh, the things I'm going to do to you." He withdrew slowly, then thrust again.

"Harder, please. Please, Elijah." Elena bucked beneath him, trying to get him to comply.

"Hmm." His lips parted as he thrust into her again.

"Please."

With that, Elijah finally did as she wanted and started to pound into her, sending her writhing against the sheets.

"Next time, my darling, oh, next time," he groaned, "I'm going to show no mercy and take my time with you, I promise you that."

The pleasure overtook them both moments later and they lay panting as they caught their breath.

"Now, lovely Elena," Elijah withdrew from her body and kissed her lightly on the lips, "we are going to have some real fun."

His smirk sent tingles straight to her core and she found herself needing him all over again.


	42. Chapter 42

The evening of Jeremy's turning arrived and Elena found herself almost as nervous as he was. How would it feel, watching someone she loved die, even if she knew they would be coming back in a few hours?

Elena paced around the sitting room, trying to get her nerves under control.

"It'll be alright," Rebekah said. "We've all done this a hundred times, so your brother is safe. We'll make sure of it."

"I know. It's just the thought of watching him die, even if it's only temporary, it's just not easy."

"I do understand, sort off, how you're feeling."

Elena glanced over at Rebekah. "What was it like when you and your brothers turned?"

"Our father ran us through with his sword, without telling us what they were planning," Rebekah looked down, her face twisted with the remembered fear. "We thought he was killing us permanently and our mother kept us from being able to fight back. Mikael went from oldest to youngest, so I was forced to watch all of my brothers die before he came for me and he was none too gentle."

"He went after those who could actually fight back first," Elena realized.

"Yes."

"Coward."

"Yes, I suppose he was." Rebekah hugged Elena. "But don't you worry. Anna will never let him suffer. A sip of her blood, then a quick snap of his neck and he'll be in transition."

"Yeah. I can't let him see how worried I am. It'll make it more difficult for him."

"It does make waking up easier when they're not worried when they die."

Someone knocked on the door frame and Elena looked up to find Enzo standing in the doorway.

"Hey, kid."

"Enzo!" Elena smiled and ran over to her sire to hug him.

"I'll leave you two for a bit." Rebekah smiled and walked out the door.

"See you in a few, Rebekah." Stepping back, Elena asked, "So, how are you and Bonnie doing?"

"Doing great." He grinned. "She's even better than your stories."

"My stories were of a seventeen year old girl, not a twenty year old witch, so I'd imagine there would be some differences."

"Yeah." Enzo sat down and Elena took the seat beside him. "She accepts me as I am. And the parts of me that need healing, she's right there, helping me through the mess."

"Looks like you really did get the love you never stopped believing in."

"I have to say though, that not even in my wildest fantasies did I think the woman I found once I was free would be as amazing as she is."

"You were there for me through hell, so it'd only be right for fate to give you someone like that."

"Hey, kid. Don't sell yourself short. You were there for me just as much, if not more than I was there for you because you were the first person who was kind to me in decades, reminding me that there was still good in the world."

"Who'd have thought a year ago we'd be here now?" Elena exhaled and shook her head.

"Our tormentors are either dead or being tormented themselves and we've been handed amazing lives." Enzo laughed. "I've got Bonnie and you've got Elijah and your daughter."

"So much can change in such a short time, I don't even want to begin trying to imagine how different things will be a hundred years from now."

"I'm sure your boyfriend could tell you all about how things change in a few centuries." Enzo sighed then, his brows furrowing.

"What's wrong?"

"Just thinking about that even though the lab was horrible, with you enduring even crap more than I did, it brought you into my life and it'd have been far emptier if we didn't cross paths when we did."

"The silver lining to the blackest clouds. I got my daughter and Elijah, and you found Bonnie."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Bonnie first started talking to me because she knew that I knew about you. Just wish knowing you didn't come with the price it did."

"If it weren't for you, I'd have died. I wouldn't have met Elijah, and I wouldn't have Astrid. It's because of you that I survived. You're my friend, Enzo and I can never regret that we met."

"I have missed you, kid." Enzo wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. "You made hell a little brighter and because of you, I was freed."

"Sounds like we saved each other."

"That we did, kid, that we did."

"Will you be staying in New Orleans?" Elena pulled back.

"I think Bonnie might stay for a bit, just to see if she can learn the spell Freya did to bind herself to Finn and has stayed alive as long as she did, so she can remain a witch, but not force me to watch her grow old and die. Then we'll go back to Mystic Falls and stay around until her grandmother dies. After that, who knows? Though I do know that she wants to be involved in the school while we're there."

"Just so long as you're around. You were there through my hell, I'd like you to be around through the good times too."

"And I'm with one of your closest friends from your human life."

"Very true." Elena laughed. "I'm gonna need to take my friends out for dinner and reconnect with them. Everything's been so crazy since we were freed, I just haven't had time to do that."

"You had a lot going on, what with your baby and pretty much every supernatural faction in the world focused on you. I think Caroline and Bonnie understand that."

"I miss them. They were there for me all the time when I was human and I'd like to have them back in my life."

Rebekah knocked on the door frame and they looked up.

"They'll be here soon."

"Alright." Elena stood up and brushed off her pants.

"Ready kid?"

"I'm not the one changing."

"Shall we?" Enzo gestured towards the door.

"Let's go."

When they reached the courtyard, Elena made her way to Elijah's side. Astrid lay sleeping in his arms and he rocked her gently, his face oddly dark.

"Are you okay?"

"I suppose I'm used to being your focus and the one who's been there for you. It slipped my mind that you had others in your life who've helped you," he whispered.

"Don't be jealous." Elena kissed his cheek. "He helped me survive, but you're the one who's helped me live."

"I trust you."

"I love you."

"And that's why I trust you. I just needed the reminder that you have friends and people you love aside from me."

Elena wrapped her arm around his waist and rested her head against his shoulder.

"I'm a selfish person, Elena, but I want you happy, so that means letting go of what I want"

"Compromise."

"Not compromise, because that means we both lose, but balance. What we both want and need in moderation."

Jeremy and Anna walked into the courtyard, followed by an older woman with black hair that Anna resembled enough that Elena thought they might be related.

"Pearl, Anna's mother," Elijah explained.

Jeremy looked around until he saw Elena, then he smiled nervously.

"You okay?" Elena mouthed.

He nodded once, but his heart was pounding.

Jeremy sat down on the bench and drew a deep breath, exhaling slowly, though that did nothing to slow his heart rate.

Elena crossed the courtyard and sat beside him. Jeremy caught her hand and gripped it tight.

"You'll be fine," Elena said softly. "We'll be here the whole time."

"Promise?" He reminded her of when they were kids, and he was seeking comfort after a nightmare.

"Promise."

Anna prepared a cup of what smelled an alcohol of some sort and cut her hand, allowing the blood to spill into it.

When she handed the glass to him, Jeremy took it, then looked at Elena.

"Don't go anywhere."

"I'll stay right here the whole time, I swear. I'm not leaving until you wake up."

Jeremy nodded once, then lifted the glass to his lips.

"Make it quick," he said as he set the glass down.

Anna came up behind him. Wrapping her hands around his head, she snapped his neck and Elena winced at the sound.

"What was it like for you, when you turned?" Anna asked as she helped Elena shift Jeremy so he was lying down with his head in Elena's lap. "I'm just wondering because you seem really concerned about him being okay."

"I died in a car accident, with a piece of metal in my chest, then woke up alone, strapped to a table, with my head shaved and still covered in my own blood." Elena brushed Jeremy's hair out of his face. "So I'm gonna make sure I'm right there for him."

A while later, Rebekah came out with a glass of blood.

"He'll be waking up soon." Rebekah set the glass down on the table in front of them. "It's not an exact science, but people usually start coming back within the next couple of minutes."

No sooner had the words left her mouth that Jeremy sat up with a gasp.

"Hey, little brother," Elena said with a relieved smile. "Welcome back."

"You stayed."

"I told you I would." Elena cupped his cheek and smiled. "A promise is a promise."

Jeremy shook his head and blinked hard.

"Are you okay?"

"My mouth feels funny." Jeremy ran his tongue along his eyeteeth.

"You need to feed," Anna said.

Jeremy glanced at Elena, as if seeking his older sister's approval and she smiled.

"Feeding, right."

"Trust me, Jer, the blood will make you feel so much more than you do now." That was the one thing from her own transformation that stayed, being able to feel more than she ever imagined after tasting human blood, even if she was starved until-

Elena cut herself off. Her brother was safe from the horrors in her past. No one would ever dare harm him, because she was someone an Original vampire loved. As long as Elijah loved her, her brother was safe.

"Jeremy?" Anna held out a glass of human blood. "Are you ready?"

"I'm ready." Jeremy reached for the glass and took a deep swallow of it.

As the human blood worked through Jeremy's system, vampire features bled across her brother's face

"Breathe, Jer," Elena whispered. "It's the only way you'll ever learn control."

"I want more," he mumbled around his fangs.

Anna poured him another glass of blood and he downed it quickly.

"We're going to start teaching you control soon," Anna said. "It makes life a lot easier once you're not at the mercy of your cravings."

"Yeah." Jeremy nodded in agreement.

"It gets better every day though." Anna slid a ring with a blue stone onto his finger.

Jeremy linked their fingers and smiled at Anna.

Seeing that her brother was otherwise occupied, Elena made her way over to Caroline and Bonnie

"Hey, Care, Bonnie." Elena caught her lower lip between her teeth. "I was wondering if you guys would like to go out for dinner, nothing fancy, just friends hanging out, like we use to do at The Grill. I know y'all said something about it while I was still pregnant and not able to eat anything, but I'd like to take you up on the invitation if it's still there."

"I'd love to do that!" Caroline's eyes lit up. "There's this great place that serves amazing gumbo and it's supernatural friendly."

"Rousseau's?"

"That's the place!"

"I've never been, but I've heard that Sophie can cook."

"It seems to be the French Quarter equivalent of The Grill," Bonnie commented.

"I think so. So tomorrow some time?" Elena desperately wanted to reconnect with the friends who'd been there for her while she traveled the world and had to grow up faster than they did to keep up with everything she experienced.

"Sounds good to me."

"Same here." Bonnie's lips curled up. "It's great to see you become more yourself."

"I've had a lot of help. Including my friends from my human life not giving up on finding me, even when everyone else did."

"Did that really help? Hearing me arguing with FBI agents about whether or not you were still alive?" Caroline raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"More than you know. Even if I was locked away and hidden from the world, there were still people cared and I wasn't forgotten."

"Now here we are again, just like old times, except you're a mother and you and I are vampires, and Bonnie's a witch." Caroline wrapped her arms around Bonnie and Elena, hugging them close.


	43. Epilogue

**Six Years Later**

Elena held one of Astrid's hands and Elijah held the other as they approached the school. Her daughter was excited to be going to school, but nervous about being away from her parents for so long.

"Astrid!" Hope waved excitedly when she saw her cousin. Raphael and Landon trailed behind her, the three musketeers, soon to become the gang of six once more, with Alaric's twins and Astrid joining them.

"Hope!" All nervousness fled when Astrid saw them and she bounced up and down.

"I take it you're good here," Elena laughed.

"I'll be okay, Mom. Hope and the boys are here."

Astrid let go of her parents and darted over to her friends, faster than a human could, drawing the attention from some of the students, though they didn't do more than glance over in surprise at a child running at near vampire speed. Knowing Caroline, she'd prepped the students for Astrid's arrival, because they recovered quickly and went back to whatever it was they were doing before.

"I think she'll be just fine," Elijah commented.

With her dark hair and eyes, she truly was turning into the perfect mix of her parents, Elena's facial features, blending with Elijah's jaw and cheekbones. So while she resembled the doppelganger, she would be different enough that no one would mistake them if they'd ever seen any of them before. Not that Astrid was without her own defenses should someone target her. Hope taught her a few spells already that made sure Astrid could hold her own at school.

A few other parents were around, people who lived in the area dropping their children off, and they eyed the vampire couple with curiosity. An Original and the latest doppelganger meant they were still the topic of gossip, especially since they had a daughter while so many other vampires couldn't have children.

"Some people," Rebekah scoffed.

Josie and Lizzie were running towards the group now, waving to Rebekah over their shoulders as they filled in the ranks of the group of friends that was Hope, Astrid, Landon, Raphael, and the twins. Alaric and Rebekah had worked out a custody agreement where she had the girls every other week during the summer, then weekends during school, so that the girls could have two parents, even though it was still slightly unconventional.

"You'd think they'd have gotten used to everything by now."

"I suppose there are those who've only heard of Astrid and me, and this is their first time seeing us."

Elena caught sight of Hayley and Jackson with Klaus not far away, bidding Hope a good first day, most likely, with Klaus there to see Caroline as well. Hayley smiled when she saw them and gave a small wave, that Elena returned. Though she was never as close with the hybrid as she was with Caroline and Bonnie, she still counted Hayley among her good friends, especially after everything she'd done to make sure Astrid was born.

"Still. Six years is plenty of time to get over everything."

"Will they ever get over it?"

"No, probably not. At least until some other child that breaks all the rules is born."

"Landon broke more than Astrid did though."

"But Astrid was born to a family known throughout the world and Landon looks and smells human, though how the phoenix in him will present is anyone's guess."

"I guess we'll only find out with time," Elijah said. "If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say it has something to do with him possibly being immortal in the way that phoenixes are, one body burning and another rising from the ashes when he dies or is killed."

"I just hope they're ready, because with all the children who's births broke magical law under one roof, things are liable to get crazy."

"They can handle it," Elijah said. "They're strong, united, and they've got us should they need the help.

Caroline appeared in the doorway of the school and waved the students inside.

"Alright! First year students, follow me!"

"I suppose that's our cue to leave." Elena wrapped her arm around Elijah's waist and they headed back to the car.

As they drove along back towards the compound, Elijah commented, "I've got everything I've ever wanted in life, at least I hope to."

"What's missing?" Elena asked, curious.

"You'll see." He took a turn away from the compound.

"Where are we going?" Elena glanced at Elijah.

"Patience, sweetheart."

Half an hour later, he pulled off the road and headed down a narrow drive. Finally, they reached a break in the trees and he stopped the car.

"What is this place?"

"It's ours. Or it will be. I thought you might want a place to get away from the compound once in a while."

"It's perfect!" Elena walked around slowly, taking in the ancient trees surrounding the clearing.

"It will be." Elijah seemed nervous all of the sudden.

"What is it?" Elena asked.

Pulling a small box out of his pocket, he opened it up, revealing a beautiful diamond ring.

"Marry me?" He glanced from the box to her face.

"Yes!" Elena leaped up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yes!"


End file.
